


Balance

by Fandom_girl21



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Aliens, Angst, Chaos, Chuck is God, Crack, Death, Drama, F/M, Fluff, God is bad, God's A+ Parenting, M/M, More tags to be added, Multi, Nature, Order, Star-crossed love, The Darkness - Freeform, after effects, black holes, chapter 1 Prologue, life - Freeform, lost of drama, space
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 04:23:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 47
Words: 60,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4905358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandom_girl21/pseuds/Fandom_girl21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set right after The Darkness is released. Sam and Dean are joined by Sofia - a hunter who saved them from being killed by The Darkness when it rolled over the Impala. But not everything is what it seems and Sam and Dean are going to have a lot on their hands when they find out who God is. </p><p>Can Sam and Dean save the world from another apocalypse? Who is God? And is The Darkness really the evil, amoral force it's been described, or is something else entirely? </p><p>Joined by enemies and friends alike Sam and Dean must save the world from The Darkness but maybe there's something much more sinister waiting in the wings, something that even God is afraid of.</p><p>What could it be? Read to find out!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As The Darkness rolled over the Impala Sam and Dean huddled together. Hoping in vain it wouldn't hurt them. The car was stuck and they had no idea what to do.

Suddenly a woman was there, as if by magic, she pounded on the window and motioned for them to follow her, they both looked at each other. They quickly opened their car doors and ran to her car.

As Sofia floored the accelerator she turned to them and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Sofia."

Sam gave her a weak smile. "Uh thanks. I'm Sam and this Dean. We're the —"

"Winchesters. I know, now hold on. I'm going to try to save us from that." Said Sofia pointing at the approaching cloud. She spun the wheel and raced out of the parking lot. 

Becky glared at Chuck from across the room. Chuck gave her a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. She had no idea why she had agreed to meet Chuck again after he had dumped her so rudely — over text, the nerve of men!

"Look Becky I'm sorry. I really do like, I might even love you. Can we try again please?"

Becky gave a look of deep contemplation, finally she nodded. But Chuck wasn't like a normal man, he was the Prophet of the Lord. He got sum allowances for that.

"But you're going to have to let me in more. I want to be part of your world. I don't want to be on the sidelines anymore, I can take care of myself, but your going to have to let me in."

Chuck sighed, finally he nodded.

"Okay. How is this for letting you in? I'm God."

Becky leaned back into the couch, crossed her arms and glared.

"I'm serious Chuck."

"So am I! Here I'll prove it to you. Um, you're parents divorced early on, you have a younger brother who you're estranged from and you haven't gone home since you left for college 20 years ago. How did I do?"

Becky stared. She hadn't told anyone, not her online friends, not Chuck, not even her poster of Sam Winchester.

Becky nodded numbly. "Okay I believe you." Suddenly she glared at him.

"Where the hell have you been? You could have stopped the apocalypse!"

Chuck shrugged. "Well I did. I made them both go into the cage. What did you honestly think Sam was strong enough to overcome My Shinning Star?"

Becky rolled her eyes. 

"That's all? Why didn't you stop it from starting."

Chuck shrugged again and got up to get a bottle of whisky.

"Well look, I had to give Michael and Raphael something, after all they've done. I mean either way I wasn't planning on coming home, but I had to do something."

"You weren't going to come home? What about Sam? He would have died! Michael would have killed them both for you."

Chuck sighed, he was fast losing patience with this subject.

"Yes, but they didn't die. They're in the cage where they belong. I stopped the apocalypse, what more could you all want?"

Becky heart skipped in beat remembering who she was talking to. But she glared and spoke anyway.

"You didn't have to leave. You could have stopped this whole thing from happening, if you hadn't ran away."

Chuck put the bottle down and stared at her. To yell at him was fine, but to call him a coward was unacceptable. He demanded more respect from his children.

As he walked toward her the house began to shake. They stared at each other and ran to look at the window. A black cloud like mass was quickly moving over them in the sky.

Chuck sucked in a breath, the echo of his children screaming, the smell of burning stars, the acrid taste of sulfur, the sight of that vast yawning of Vantablack stretching above and beneath him came rushing back.

He spun away from the window, leaning against the wall. Becky looked at him her eyes wide.

"What—?"

Chuck shook his head. "No time. We have to go. The Winchesters will know what's going on."

As they packed and quickly ran out of the house. Becky put a hand on his arm as he went to start the car, she looked panicked.

"Just tell me what that is. Why aren't you just teleporting us to the Winchesters anyway? You're —"

"Hush! That's Amaro or as everyone else knows him, The Darkness. And if I were to teleport us to them he would know. I locked him away a long, long time ago. He's searching for me. The less people know about my whereabouts the safer we'll be."

Chuck shook her hand off and started the car, as it roared to life he quickly turned and stared at Becky earnestly.

"Oh that reminds me. Don't tell them, don't tell anyone. I'm trusting you Becky. You wanted in, you're in."

Becky managed to nod and Chuck floored the car, and they were on their way to the Winchesters. Running away in vain from something that knew all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Six months later...**

It's been six months since The Darkness has appeared and in that time the world had gone on, everything was quiet... Almost peaceful.

Sam and Dean were restless, all the places they looked had nothing on The Darkness. No lore, no plan. Dean had taken to doing target practice on the various miscellaneous objects that cluttered the bunker.

So Sam had gone out of his way to find a nest of demons, it was supposed to be a in and out mission. A way to blow off steam, that all changed when one slashed Sofia across the chest, just as another came and stabbed her in the back.

They had rushed her to the hospital, Crowley had told them that if they were going to use his demons as target practice then he would let them be used as well.

The doctors didn't know if she would walk again let alone live. She was in a coma now. Sam and Dean had wanted to stay, they owed her that, but they were exhausted. So when Chuck and Becky came to change shifts with them they left to go get some food to eat from the cafeteria and maybe get some sleep at the motel.

As Sam and Dean left the ICU Becky gave Chuck a sidelong glance as they both stood against the wall, facing Sofia's room. Chuck was staring at her through the door's glass — he looked concerned and immensely exhausted.

"Can't you save her?"

"I can't."

 _"I could."_ He amends in his head. _"Only I would destroy the vessel. She would be without a body, and I without her again. No, I won't interfere I'll be more patient wiser this time."_

"Your God. You can do anything."

"How much do you trust me?"

"Your God. I trust you irrevocably."

"No! Not as God. Don't see me as God, see me as Chuck. As Chuck how much do you trust me?"

"With every fiber of my being."

Chuck slid down the wall of the hospital. He put his face in His hands. He groaned quietly.

"When the universe was created there wasn't just me, there was two. A male and a female, loosely defined as such. Anyway, I pushed her away, We were both so young then, much more stubborn. It wasn't until I began to live as a human that I saw how very wrong I was. She's back, I don't know if it's to punish me or help me she won't tell me, probably to torture me. Her vessel is dying, and she's asleep trying to keep it alive. I can't do anything to help, it's so fragile."

"So, the woman in the hospital bed, she's your wife?" Becky's voice breaks at the word.

He shot up and pulled her into a hug.

"No, and yes. We were together, but we're not married, that concept didn't exist then. Think of her as an important person from my past, that without her I wouldn't be where I was today."

"What did you fight about?"

"Wether Angels deserved free will. I preferred predestination, she said not everything should've predestined, that free will was better.

I didn't listen, I pushed her away. My archangels were barely old enough to remember her. Though Michael and Sa—  
and Lucifer were old enough."

Becky blinked and borrowed into the hug. God supposed that it was a lot to take in. He just held her.

"Do you have names?"

"Names?" Asked God.

"Yeah, what do I call you? What do you call each other?"

"You can call me Chuck. But we don't have names for each other, it's like a wam feeling. We don't need to name each other. We've known each other so long that names aren't needed. Does that make sense?"

Becky shook her head. A watery laugh escaped her lips. Suddenly she went limp. Chuck pulled away from her to see she was asleep.

Chuck rolled His eyes. He turned to the hospital room, She was still asleep — in a coma like state.

"A little warning would have been nice... Be careful with her, please."

He whispered, because he didn't need to yell. He didn't speak for Her to hear. But it felt better to say it aloud, less intimate, less like old times when all they needed was to think something or feel something for the other to feel or hear it too.

***

Becky woke up in a garden, a beautiful garden, like the one from her childhood. The only thing that made her believe that it wasn't her childhood garden, was the fact that it had multicolored butterflies, and the sky above shown with more stars than she had ever seen.

"I'm sorry to pull you away, but I felt that you'd understand if we met rather than letting Him talk for me."

Becky turned and saw the most beautiful woman. She wore a regal dress, a crown on top of her head. She looked so different that it took her a while to realize that it was Her or Sophia.

She watched her for a few moments, and with a huff suddenly sat down next to her. She wore now what Sophia had worn before she had to be taken to the hospital - jeans a belt and a white shirt.

"My apologies, I assumed you wanted to see me as how humanity perceives me. You call me the queen of heaven, mother of angels. But you Becky, you wanted to see me as a friend, as an equal. I'm sorry if my previous form overwhelmed you."

She smiled at Becky. Becky almost cried, it was filled with love, and kindness. It more kindness and love Becky had seen in all her life. It was beautiful.

She stretched, before coming to lie on the grass, arms behind Her head, She turned to look at Becky,

"So what do you want to know?"

"Aren't you dying?" Becky blurted out.

She laughed, and it sounded like music. Becky supposed that Chuck had created music as a homage to Her.

"And butterflies, and flowers. I'm not sure with I love more, butterflies on flowers... I had to say flowers though, when I look at them, I can trace their lineage back usually to first seed that I planted."

"But didn't you leave before the Earth was made?"

She sighed, and Becky instantly felt like she would do anything to make sure that never happened again.

"I didn't leave. I would never willingly leave my children. I was pushed away. I stayed close though, we can both create things, we are both Gods in our own right. I helped him shape the world, only we never talked, I never asked how my children were. I held him to a promise made enos ago, when we both just wanted to be away from each other, when no amount of love could satiate us.

And no I'm not dying, only Death can kill me. My vessel is, she wants to live, so I'm helping her do so. Think of this a break, it needs to be done carefully, human bodies are so very fragile."

She looked at Becky waiting for any other questions.

"Do you still love him?"

She smiled at the naivety of her question.

"Of course! But not in the way you think. I love Him as a friend, as someone who is important to me."

Becky hung her head, "oh." She said quietly.

She placed Her hand under her chin, lifting her head to meet Her eyes.

"Your exceptional Becky, let no one, no man or God tell you otherwise. And as for names, you can call me Sophia. It will be my highest honor to be your friend. I won't get in the way of both of you, as long as you promise me you'll only do what's best for you. Remember what's best for you might not be what you want. Do you promise me that?"

Becky nodded, she couldn't say anything else. She was so chocked up. On impulse she pulled Sophia into a hug. Sophia gave her a hug back. After a while Sophia pulled away.

"My vessel needs, me. So this where we part. Remember your exceptional."

"Wait! How do I contact you if I want to talk to you?"

"Call to my children, they'll tell me and I'll come to you. But remember I'm always with you child."

Sophia's arms pointed to the butterflies above and the flowers below. Sophia kissed her on the forehead. Becky closed her eyes to the touch. When she opened them she was on a bench, Chuck watching her from the wall in front of her.

He blinked, seemingly coming out of a trance and rushed to her side.

Chuck took her hand, and massaged it watching Becky's face.

"So, how was She?"

"She's perfect and beautiful." Becky said before she could stop herself.

Chuck rolled his eyes and stood, he stared at the door, wordlessly for a few moments.

Suddenly Becky saw beautiful butterflies like from the garden flit around them both. Chuck grinned and opened his hand as some landed on it, after a few moments the butterflies flew away. Disappearing into the ether.

"What was that?"

"Her acknowledgement, she likes you. She told me not to hurt you. I told her I would never dream of it."

Chuck turned and smiled at her. Again Becky almost lost her breath. His smile was filled with so much love and happiness that she lost her train of thought.

"Do you love Her?" Becky asked quietly.

"Yes, I do. But as someone who loves people who've they've known for a long time. I'm not in love with Her Becky, that honor is reserved only for you."

Becky pulled Chuck into a kiss, not caring that Sophia could probably see everything.

Becky pulled away, giving him a bright smile.

"I'm going to check on the others, tell them why we know of how Sophia is doing. I'll be back."

Becky kissed Chuck once more and left, flashing a grin towards Sophia's room and left. As the door to the private suite closed, Chuck finally relaxed.

He leaned against the wall, His eyes closed as he tried to process what had happened.

"Do you need a few more moments or are you good?"

Chuck opened his eyes to see Her shimmering against the wall parallel to him. He smiled.

"No I'm alright."

They stared at each other for a while, just reveling in the comfort.

"You lied." Chuck said finally to Her. She smiled.

"As did you." She replied, her hand sliding across the wall as she moved away to look at the window to the outside world.

"What do you think of the world? Of our children?"

Asked Chuck coming toward her, he didn't need to touch her. She didn't need to be this close.

"The world is beautiful, though our children don't know how to take care of it I'm afraid. Something must be done about that."

She turned Her eyes toward him in silent accusation. He blinked in remorse.

"So what have you done to pass the time?"

Chuck said, turning to lean away from the window, his arms crossed as he watched her.

"The council. They needed me as an advisor for the new Gods."

"Did they hurt you?" A trace of venom invaded Chuck's voice.

Sophia smiled, a slow sad smile.

"Not physically. Their comments about you cut me though. They said you would never change, that you'd bring us all down."

Chuck balled his hand to a fist. He never got this angry now, not after he had decided to go to anger counseling as a human. But they always got under his skin.

Sophia turned and put a hand on his arm. They had both turned away from the window, but their contact sent the world tipping, northern lights and sunset colors exploded in the sky. As Sophia withdrew her hand, the colors and lights dissipated from the sky. Turning it normal again.

Human scientists would never be able to explain the phenomena, though religious people said it was a sign from God. A sign that they were doing the right thing, that he was rewarding them for their behavior against sinners.

"You didn't come back on their orders I hope?" Asked Chuck.

She smiled sadly again. She shook Her head. She didn't trust her voice after feeling how easy it was to touch him again.

"I didn't come on their orders. I came because they're starting to notice. There's been too much destruction here, your world is having too much free will. Sometimes a little intervention is a good thing."

Chuck found it ironic at how the tables have turned, how much they'd both changed.

"They will all save the planet or destroy it, that's up to them. I'm not playing."

"If they fail, so do you remember. You can only get so many second chances."

Chuck rolled his eyes, "You sound like The Council. Have faith that this world, this universe will prevail."

"You've said that before of the other ones, what makes you so sure this one will succeed where all the others failed?"

"This one I'm not micromanaging. I'm not creating any unforeseen problems by trying it to adhere to an overall plan, it is on the inhabitants, the creations of this universe to help themselves."

She hummed in acknowledgement but didn't say more. The matter was done for now. She flickered slightly.

"She's calling you?"

"Yes. Tell me something what does he think of Sophia?"

Chuck blinked. Sometimes it was hard to follow her train of thoughts, sometimes she thought to ask things that he never would have. They made a good team, the both of them. Maybe that's why the council let them both go in the first place instead of the standard lonesome God. They would have ruled together but he had fucked it up and caused irreparable damage. Chuck mentally shook his head, forcing himself to exist in the present.

"My vessel? He doesn't mind her. I'd imagine he was thrilled someone else was in a situation reminiscent of his own. Why?"

"Sofia finds him dull and drab. She thinks he's to timid."

"Well then I think he should forget her. He doesn't want to be her friend anyway."

Chuck turned and threw his nose in the air.

She laughed quietly.

"Do you think they would have gotten along?"

"Yes. I think it would have taken some time and the right amount of circumstances but I think Chuck and Sophia would have been happy together, if not as a couple than definitely as friends."

She turned to Him, mouthing a thank you and vanished into her vessel.

Chuck took it as his cue to slip back as well, Becky already knew he'd come back when they were alone. So for now he was retreat and observe. Just as he had always done.


	3. Chapter 3

Sofia lay awake in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She turned over on her side and saw Her watching her from the wall. She leaned against it, wearing a white flowing dress that swayed in the nonexistent breeze.

"What's wrong child? Is something bothering you?"

Sofia huffed and sat up. she glared at Her.

"Who were you talking to? Why did you leave me?"

She had the audacity to smile at her as if she was a petulant child. It made Sofia's blood boil.

"I'm not sure if I should tell you. If you'd comprehend it."

Now as angry as Sofia was she knew whatever this lady was withholding was important. Sofia had learned long ago that while money was influential, information held power, usually more so than any amount of money could buy.

"Tell me." Sofia demanded.

"I was talking to God, or as He wants to be known as Chuck."

She paused to let that sink in. 

"Wait Chuck is God?! Seriously the guy is scared by his own shadow. Why did God pick him?"

The words "mysterious ways" Rose to Her mind, but She decided in against sharing that. She felt it was too easy. 

Instead She waited for Sofia to calm down.

"He thought Chuck would be a good host, someone no one will suspect. And that has been the case up till now, but other people, other forces are beginning to notice. If Chuck doesn't make a move soon, they'll take action."

"My dear, your scaring the girl."

Said a man coming into the room. 

"You can't be here, visiting hours are over." Sofia blurted out at the man. As he closed the door behind him. He leaned against the door and watched her.

"Your God. Not Chuck." Sofia finally said.

"I am both. I am—"

"Does she know your here?" She asked.

Chuck looked at her, his mouth still slightly open. He started to glare at her but gave up and instead rolled his eyes.

"she doesn't. And she doesn't need to."

She knew He wasn't so much telling Her as He was pleading Her to not betray Him. she rolled Her eyes but smiled at Him, in a silent yes.

"Hello? Person overhear who has no idea what's going on. Can you have your lovers quarrel later?"

"It's not a lovers quarrel. We're not lovers, we're nothing." She said glaring at him. He rolled His eyes. The venom in Her voice clearly heard.

"I would hope so, because I would have to seriously rethink the last 2,000 years."

"Brahman." Chuck said, his eyes narrowing at the man who stood near the wall of Sofia's head.

Sofia turned to look at him. He wore stylish, jeans and black leather jacket. He caught her eye and winked. He made his way over to Her.

"Mi Amor I've missed you. You should have told me you were leaving." He took her hand and kissed it. Chuck closed his eyes, as if trying to calm down.

"Brahman I thought you had a universe to rule. Or did it get purged?" 

Chuck asked, leaning against the wall. Watching Brahman straighten up and glare at him.

"Brahman you never meant anything. It was a fling. I never even said—"

"I know. I know you didn't. I just... I just had hoped you would say it. That they weren't right about you, about both of you."

"Both of us? What do you mean, what do they say?" Asked Chuck, coming closer. She had a hurt look in Her eyes, but She didn't let it get to Her.

Brahman gave him a grimace.

"You're both manipulative in your own way. You think of no on else but each other. You will do anything for each other. And I personally feel like no matter how many times you walk away from each other, no one else will measure up to each other."

She and Chuck looked at each other and then at Brahman unsure of what to say to that confession. Chuck spoke first. 

"Brah, what happened? I hope we never hurt you. If we did I'm sorry—"

"Save it Yahweh. I'm not here to hear your bullshit attempt at ass-kissing. You asked I answered. Now where the hell is my daughter?"

"Your name is Yahweh? Why did you insist on being called Chuck?" Asked Sofia as Chuck's eyes widened.

She rolled Her eyes and spoke to Brahman.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if He does either. We've had our hands full with taking care of our children."


	4. Chapter 4

Gabriel followed a disgruntled Kali up the long winding driveway. 

Gabriel gave her a sideways glance. Her sari shimmered in the high noon sun. The house before them stood impressive and foreboding.

Kali adjusted her sari and used the knocker on the door. Gabriel noted that the knocker was in the shape of a tree with a two birds on the branches

The door swung open with a flourish. Gabriel expected to see a butler or a waitstaff. Instead he saw a man with a wide grin. The man kissed Kali on the cheek and turned his smile on Gabriel, only for it to slip.

Gabriel could feel his blade pressing into his wrist, waiting and ready for any attacks. Since he had been ousted by the Winchesters a couple of years ago, Hindu and pagan gods alike had hunted him. They all blamed him for the massacre at his brothers hands. They all seemed to forget that he had died at his brothers hands as well.

"Leave him be Karma he's mine." Kali's icy voice cut through the tension.

Karma turned and stepped aside for them both. Gabriel rubbed his arms as he stepped inside. He couldn't feel his father's magic, it was dampened here somehow. The air was charged with pagan magic, he could feel it crackle and react to him. 

"I wasn't going to hurt him. I just wanted to see the man who made you break our marriage." Gabriel's neck turned to fast at Karma's comment that he was surprised that he didn't have whiplash.

Kali rolled her eyes. 

"Did you have to say that?"

Karma smirked leaning against the dark oak banister.

"Evidently I did."

"You two were engaged? Why did you break it off Kali, you both seem to work so well."

"Are you being sarcastic angel?"

Gabriel grinned. 

"Oh yes, of course."

"Careful angel. Your in out court now. There's not big bad daddy to protect you now."

Gabriel barked a laugh.

"Is that how you all see God? Big, scary and protective? Because he's really not. We're talking about the guy who ran away, left his children alone, let them fight each other to death, and create an apocalypse. My father is gone. He doesn't care, he hasn't for a very long time."

Karma stared at him for a few long moments.

"You think your the only one with terrible parents? With shitty siblings? My sister tried to kill me because she was jealous. My father set up games where we'd being competing against each other. If we lost we'd be hit and starved till we won. Ask Kali our upbringing wasn't the best, we'd sell each other out of it meant even a little comfort. However we never started an apocalypse, we never threw a tantrum because we hurt or bruised. What right do you have, do your brothers have to destroy the world we called home?" 

Gabriel gave him a rueful smile.

"None. We have no right, but we still do it. We all do. The more you push the more my brothers will push back. If you want the world to live, to thrive we have to work together."

Karma's glared at him. Ready to lunge at him only held by Kali.

"Yes. This is been my vision since I've been on this planet. It's nice to see I'm not the only one."

Gabriel, Karma, and Kali turned to see a woman descend down the stairs. She was dressed in a exquisite blue and green Indian dress. Her eyes lined with kohl.

Kali and Karma instantly dropped and dipped their head in acknowledgement. Gabriel took the cue and dipped in a formal bow.

The woman laughed and gently pulled him up. Gabriel felt a flash of something. Of another woman, another laugh. Hands picking him up, combing through his wings, singing to him. Gabriel shook his head clearing his head. He hadn't had a flash like that in a while. A flash of her. Of the one he used to call Mother. 

Or at least he thinks he did, he couldn't be sure. He had been young, his brothers had refused to talk about it. About her, about that time. Raphael had told him once it was because something had happened then, something that changed their course of history forever. 

The woman was talking to Karma and Kali in hushed tones when they all heard the patter of feet running down the lush carpet ahead of them.

Gabriel turned to see a girl she was dressed in jeans and t shirt. Around her neck held the pendant of wheel. A blue stone in the center.

Gabriel recognized the necklace instantly. But he couldn't believe it, the owner of it had died, fallen from heaven for saying the truth, could she have lived as a human all this time?

He walked up to her, and gripped her by the shoulders. 

"Where did you get that?"

"I've had it all my life. Why?"

She gasped her eyes lighting up like stars,

"Are you Gabriel?? The one Kali ran away for?"

"Amy please. Don't be rude. And Gabriel we found her took her in. She's a human but she can be trusted, much like your Winchesters."

Said the woman, putting an hand on her arm.

"They're more Castiel's not mine." Muttered Gabriel.

Suddenly Gabriel flew away only to come back a few minutes later.

"Amy right? Do you trust me?"

"Y-yes. Why?"

"Don't move." Said Gabriel. Karma came closer now, a glare on his face. Gabriel turned between them and rolled his eyes. Karma wasn't fooling anyone. 

He fished out a flask from his pocket and opened it in front of her face. The white-blueish flew from the flask and into her body. Into her mouth and nose.

After all the grace had been absorbed into the body, Amy blanked and looked at Gabriel, her face had lost the innocent look.

"Gabriel? What happened? Where are our brothers?"

Gabriel sighed in relief and pulled her into hug.

"Wait what did you do?" Asked Karma rounding on Gabriel. He stabbed him in the chest as he talked to him.

Amy came and got in the middle in them. An angel blade poised at Karma's neck. 

Amy's voice was as cold as ice.

"Keep your hands off of him. He's my brother. He's the archangel of messages, right hand of God. Don't touch him unless you wanted to be smited by heavenly wrath."

"Amitiel." Gabriel muttered. 

Amitiel turned to him, missing Karma's stunned face. 

"Gabriel you never answered my question. What happened?"

Gabriel sighed, rubbing his face.

"Samael and Raphael are dead. Michael and Luce are locked in the cage."

"How do you they're dead?"

"Because I could feel it."

"Did you see them die? Did you see the body?"

"I saw Raphael. I did his rites."

"So you didn't see Samael?"

"No. But—"

"No buts Gabriel. He's alive."

"Amitiel no he's not—"

"Shut up!!"

Amitiel closed her eyes. The room began to hum as her body began to light up with white light.

"What is she doing??" Asked Kali angrily.

"She's trying to call Samael. Telling him to come and save her." Replied Gabriel morosely.

Suddenly the light died and Amitiel's face appeared. Her eyes opened, her hands clenched at her sides.

"Well?"

"Nothing."

As Gabriel lead Amitiel to the couch, there was a knock on the door. It resonated throughout the entryway.

Gabriel and Amitiel looked at each other. 

Karma sighed and went to open the door.

Karma opened the door to reveal a man. He came into the room. 

Gabriel and Amitiel froze. Samael opened his arms and after some hesitance Amitiel jumped into his arms. Gabriel reluctantly did as well.

As Samael held them, Amitiel went limp in his arms. Gabriel sprang back as Samael's hand went to him.

"No. We're not doing that. You're talking to me. I've earned that."

Samael stared at him for a few moments then turned his attention to Amitiel. He gently put her on the couch. Caressing her cheek and hair he kissed her forehead and turned to Gabriel.

"Very well. What do you want to talk about baby brother? Should we talk about how you abandoned them? How you fled when our brothers needed you? Should we talk about your death? How you faced Helel knowing he would kill you? Do you want to talk about how foolish it was to put yourself at risk?! How stupid it was to get killed!"

Samael's voice rose steadily till he was screaming, the hurt and raw rage flowing from him made the air crackle, like fire.

Gabriel looked away, walked to the other end of the room. He put his hands on the cool stone mantle of the fireplace.

Closing his eyes he tried to not memorize the look Samael had in his eyes. The look that had haunted him from the minute he ran away — betrayal. It had been his worst fear when and if he had to ever see his brothers again.

Not turning around Gabriel drew a deep breath in, and said quietly,

"You did the same thing. You walked away, made us all think you died. Don't say I'm wrong when you did the same thing Samael."

"You're right I did. But I didn't go into a fight that had nothing to do with me. I didn't go and get myself killed."

Gabriel turned to stare at him, he sounded so broken.

"Gabriel I've lost all of you. I can't lose you too. I wouldn't be able to handle being alone. I didn't handle being alone. Michael had ruined Raphael destroying him over the years. Helel was curropted and twisted by the mark. How could you even think to reason with someone who doesn't even understand love anymore? And Amitiel, sweet naive Amitiel was thrown out of heaven for speaking her truth. Please promise me that you won't get involved in a war or fight that doesn't concern you, I can't go through the pain of losing you, all of you again."

Gabriel fully and swallowed. He didn't want to be roped into something agin, but he couldn't leave him. Not like this.

"Samael what exactly are you asking from me?"

"Keep Castiel and Amitiel safe. That's all I'm asking. I'll deal with everything else."

"What do you mean everything else?"

"Can you do that for me?"

"Sam—"

"Can you little brother?"

After a brief pause Gabriel sighed and nodded.

Samael nodded and sat down, putting Amitiel's head in his lap.

"Good. Because The Darkness is back."

Gabriel sagged into the closest chair as all his strength immediately leaving him. He remembered that war, those battles. The smell of burned wings, the taste of blood. He shuddered. He would do anything to not do that. They had barely won that, it was Lucifer that had the brilliant idea of how to trap it.  
Father had rewarded him with the mark, and it had all gone downhill from there.

"What?"

Samael nodded grimly. He stood, holding Amitiel bridal style. 

"We don't have time. Find Castiel, I need heaven to know what's going on."

He turned to the woman.

"Jiva, if it wouldn't be too much trouble I ask you to rally your family. We're going to need everyone. Every angel, demon, and God to help. I know we don't see eye to eye, and that's on Michael and I. But please for the sake of Earth help me?"

Gabriel blinked, he held on the table to steady himself. Samael never begged. Never. He had changed.

"Samael, you know you're asking only as a formality. We always help out own. You know  
that."

Samael nodded, a strained smile on his face. He suddenly dumped Amitiel in Gabriel's lap. And turned to bow formally to Jiva. His hand as a fist on top of his heart, his head bowed, he said,

"I give you my word that Amitiel will be safe. And I give you my word that Jiva won't be harmed Atman."

Gabriel turned to see a man coming down the hallway, in a crisp black suit. He looked like Father only more grave.

"I hold you to your word Samael. Above her safety I want you to promise me that Amitiel will be happy. Can you do that for me, Indra?"

Kali's and karma's eyes widened, they each took a step back. Gabriel remembered the stories about Indra, he was a superb fighter. An even better leader. Equal parts benevolent and strong. 

Gabriel smirked, so Samael had hid as a pagan as well after he had forced Lucifer into his cage the first time. Well done Samael.

Samael nodded. He got up and took Amitiel from him. 

"Your welcomed to come Kali. I know Gabriel would love that."

Gabriel glared at Samael's smile.

"No, karma and I are going to stay here and help Mother Jiva and Father Atman spread the message. That is what you want right Atta?"

Kali turned to look at Atman. Atman sighed and closed his eyes.

"Don't test me Kali. You have ears and eyes, you saw and heard what Samael was saying. So yes, this is what we— what I want."

Kali had the decency to look ashamed. Karma smirked.

"Karma? Will you come?"

Karma looked from Samael to Amitiel. He lingered on her face, coming closer he pushed the hair out of her face.

"No. She's not my Amy anymore. Keep her safe Samael. And Gabriel promise me she'll find someone. All she ever wanted was love."

Gabriel nodded, getting up he shook Karma's hand. Winked at Kali and bowed to Atman and Jiva. With a rustle of wings they were gone.

Samael stopped a few paces away from the home. He set Amitiel down.

"What are you doing?"

"Insurance." Samael placed his hands in the grass, the shield of pagan power shown. As Samael's hands glowed he forced it to go dimmer, but not completely dark. 

"You can't communicate with her, nor will you be able to find her. So don't even try to get the word out."

Gabriel sighed. 

"What's the insurance Samael?"

"Word is that Jiva's father is looking for her. She's hidden from him by the shield. If I dim the shield, it loses some of its power. So he might be able to find her. I put a spell on it. That they can't leave, repair the shield or destroy it. I don't know how much power this father of hers has but chances are he won't be able to do anything either. Only I can."

Gabriel rubbed his face and felt the world spin again. Only this time the only anchors he found were crazy or asleep.

"Why? What do you gain?"

"Time. We have a deadline. The longer The Darkness hangs around here, the more lasting impacts it could have. He's bidding his time, he wants to get a feel for the world first and then strike when we least expect it."

Samael said getting up. He dusted himself off and picked up Amitiel again. He looked at Gabriel, waiting for him to lead the way.

Gabriel shook his head. He had forgotten that while Samael was insane he was also a brilliant strategist able to predict the enemies moves well in advance, as well as get people to do what he wants. He was the one to teach Lucifer manipulation. A skill that he had perfected over the course of his lifetime.

Gabriel flew to the Winchesters and prayed that they were ready for the end of the world... Again.


	5. Chapter 5

Vaatu's black and red robe swished soundlessly behind him. Attendants and guards moved out of his way as he walked.

Flinging open the doors he burst into Raava's private chambers.

"My dear what seems to be the problem? You're scaring my acolytes."

"I don't care for your followers Raava. Brahman has made contact with him. He's gone to Earth."

"Against our orders?"

"Yes! Why do you think I came here and didn't wait till the council meeting?"

Vaatu closed the door locking it. He came and sat on the edge of Raava's bed. They both looking at a spread out holographic map of the universe.

Vaatu handed Raava the vile of Brahman's blood. Everyone single God has a vile of their blood on file, in case they get trapped in their universe or want to have blood children.

Raava took a drop of it and placed on the map, immediately the Holomap zoomed in on Earth and then on a building.

"Hospital?" Said Vaatu.

"What base language did Yahweh use in this world?" Asked Raava looking up from the map.

Vaatu strode over to the screen on the far right of the room and put in a request for Yahweh's file.

While he waited he went back and took Raava's hand. She looked up surprised, then turned slightly annoyed.

"What?"

"Raava you can come home. Please. It's boring being alone."

"You just want someone to fight with Vaatu. You don't want companionship or friendship and until that changes I'm not coming back."

Before Vaatu could respond the screen pinged. Vaatu went and took the file from the shoot.

Flipping the file open Vaatu leafed through past all the purged worlds to most recent one, ---- or as the inhabitants called it earth. 

"Did you know this is one of his most promising ones? I mean the humans are terrible but their potential at ascension is very high, about 90%."

"The language Vaatu. What base language does he use?"

"Sanskrit seems to be the earliest form, the more modern cultures use Latin."

"Here's the thread, from Latin Hospitale means a place of rest and healing. I hope he's unharmed."

"He is, he wouldn't create a disease that strong, maybe he's taken to a few of his experiments. It wouldn't be the first time."

"You mean his creations? Or his "children" as he calls them?"

Vaatu looked up from the file and chucked. "Yes Raava that's exactly what I mean."

"As for ascension you know that not all of humanity will go for it."

"No but we never get a majority, there's always a few martyrs or pariahs in every experiment. It can't be helped."

As they talked a knock was heard on the door. 

Raava got up and opened it.

The messenger bowed. He handed Raava an envelope. As he did, his suit jacket rode up revealing the inside of his wrist where an A with an infinity sign was branded into his skin - a mark of an Ascension.

Vaatu saw the tattoo and had a brilliant idea.

"Wait, what do you think of ascension?"

"There's no wrong answers here, feel free to be honest."

Added Raava catching on to what Vaatu was doing.

The messenger swallowed nervously. He could feel his skin begin to crawl at the attention. It felt like ants were biting his hand especially at his brand mark.

He knew better than to answer honestly. It wasn't Vaatu that he was necessarily worried about. He would get angry at a drop of a hat. It was Raava that was the wildcard. She assumed that everything she did out a place of love. She felt she was like their mother, governing and nurturing. She was more like a twisted seductress. Reeling you in with kindness and ensnaring you on any small infractions. The messenger knew any wrong misstep now would cost him dearly. He had survived this long, he wasn't ready to die now.

The messenger smiled and bowed.

"Ascension is the best reward an experiment can be granted from their creator. It makes them a god in their own right. It is a wonderful gift, I wish it for everyone."

Vaatu gestured him to leave closing the door behind him.

"See? Ascension is the best case scenario. If we give him an ultimatum to let the best and brightest of his "children" fight for it he'll have no choice but to agree if he doesn't they all die, even the Angels."

"That is if he does tell them and doesn't wage war on us first."  
Raava pointed out.

"That's why my darling we'll go over him." Said Vaatu clasping her hand. He continued,

"We'll give his creations the choice first. Bypassing him entirely. If they revolt against him at a later point well... All the better. Agreed?"

Raava curled her hand around his and nodded. Though doubts still flicked across her mind.

"Agreed."


	6. Chapter 6

Castiel stood and watched Becky and Chuck cuddling. Dean yelled. Castiel turned to see he had lost the game. The game had something to do with cards and someone named Jack. Castiel didn't really understand it. Sofia was grinning so she had probably won. Sam was reading next to him, occasionally asking him about heaven's Angels and cross referencing them with books and notes he had. He had just asked him about an angel named Kushiel. Castiel vaguely remembered him, he had been quiet and Azrael's best friend. There was rumor that he was close with the archangels. But any of the Angels he could have asked about that were dead.

Suddenly alarms blared and red lights started to flash, three figures appeared on the floor.

"The Winchester Bunker." Said one of them. 

One of them was holding a body. He put it on the couch, next to Castiel. Castiel saw that the girl had a necklace, the stone in the middle looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it.

Sam and Dean had moved to get their guns while Becky and Chuck sat watching. Sofia was already armed and ready.

The man who had been holding the body straightened up and snapped his fingers, instantly the alarms stopped and the red lights turned off.

Castiel got up and moved in front of the men.

"Don't hurt them. Gabriel?"

Gabriel winked and went for a hug as Castiel stood still shocked.

"Heya Castiel. How have you been? Everything peachy?"

" I fell and lost my grace."

"Great Castiel, that's the optimism I missed."

Said Gabriel while he rolled his eyes.

"Gabriel be quiet and move." 

Gabriel glared at the man and moved away.

"Who are you brother? I don't know you."

The man smiled at Castiel's question. Gabriel busied himself by looking over Sam's notes.

"No this is wrong! Kushiel wasn't so quiet.  
Maybe after, but before when I knew him he was funny and loved to tell stories. He would help Phanuel scribe."

Gabriel muttered.

"Phanuel wasn't the scribe Metatron was." 

Said Castiel. His eyes wide as he let the man caress his cheek. Making him think of Father and home.

"Yes he was little brother, before he fell. Before Helel corrupted him."

The man murmured. Gabriel rolled his eyes. Castiel nodded. 

"Do you want to know who I am Castiel? I only ask that you don't judge me, and run away, let me tell my side of the story."

Castiel turned and looked at Dean and Sam.  
Then turned back and looked at the man and nodded.

The man's eyes glowed, the shadow of his twelve wings fell over the room, they were beautiful and tattered.

"Samael." Castiel gasped. But you're a legend."

"Every legend is rooted in fact. Don't forget that little brother."

"Nice entrance." Gabriel remarked. Samael winked at him. 

Turning back to Castiel Samael led him to a chair and crouched in front of him.

"Tell me your story, Samael."

"All in due time my little wing. But first—"

Samael got up and stood to face the Winchester brothers.

"But first, you need my help. You've unleashed The Darkness. Only God and the Archangels were able to push it back. However, since Father has been inconspicuously absent lately. It falls on the remaining of us to pick up his slack."

Castiel cringed at Samael's words.

"Castiel, why cringe? You're the one who lost faith, you drank a whole liquor store as I recall. I lost faith a long time ago. Well before you were born."

"When?"

Asked Sofia putting her rifle down. Her voice sounded shaky.

"What?" Asked Samael his eyes narrowing.

"When did you lose your faith in God and why?"

"That's a great segway to tell us your story."  
Said Dean.

"Dean, we have more pressing matters than my story." Said Samael exasperated. 

"You don't get it, we're not letting you help till we know your story. Your whole story."  
Said Dean his angel blade in his hand.

Gabriel looked up and chuckled.

"Something funny trickster?" Dean asked an edge in his voice.

"Yeah, your blade is nothing compared to Sammy's. Michael and him got special ones from Father. Do you still have it Sammy?"

Samael smiled at him and nodded. He pulled his blade from his sleeve. It looked like a Grigori sword but was decorated with Suns and stars and galaxies.

"Michael's has flowers, and butterflies."

Samael said quietly fiddling with the sword. 

Dean snorted.

"Sounds like a sissy sword."

The next moment Dean was against the wall, Samael's blade point focused on his jugular.

Sam turned to get up.

"Don't bother. By the time you move, Dean will be dead."

"Do something Gabriel he's my brother!  
Cass help!"

Suddenly Gabriel was up and in Sam's face. 

"Don't you dare talk to me about brothers. Samael is my family. The only one I have left after everything you guys did. I should hate you, I should want you dead. But I don't. I see why Father loves you, I really do. But don't you understand that in the mind of many angels in heaven it was you, not Lucifer that caused father to leave?"

Sam looked shocked at the accusation.

"Yes you! You who were curious enough to be tempted. You who were gullible enough to kill your own. You who were lonely enough to sin with your own kin! Those aren't stories to us, they're real, they're memories. They hurt. Everything we did for you, you destroyed and plundered and raped. And yet he asked us to love you more than each other, than him. And what do you with that love? You twist it, you're greedy, and sinful...So no Sam, I won't do anything. Because for once I want you see what it feels like to see your own brother die, to get twisted and fall. To become something so foreign that you loathe him."

Gabriel was heaving. He glared at Sam and then Dean, and moved away to the other side of the room.

"Castiel can you help him? Please?"

"He won't. Samael has him in a coma. Showing him the glory of heaven, making him feel how heaven used to be, before the mark corrupted the most beautiful angel in heaven."

Said Gabriel quietly. He sounded defeated. Slowly his eyes closed and his legs buckled under him and he started to fall to the floor. Suddenly Samael was there to catch him. He held him tightly, and murmured into his ear, Gabriel nodded smiling. Samael kissed him on the forehead and snapped a couch into existence and put him on it with a blanket.

Turing back he was greeted with Sam's horrified expression and Dean's glare as he rubbed his neck.

"Don't take it personally Sam. Gabriel is still shocked to see me alive. And its been a lot for him to take in."

Samael turned to Sofia. 

"Let's start with you, who are you?"

Sofia smiled, her body angling to sit on the table. Dean's eyes flitted to stare at the legs.

"I'm a hunter. Saved the boys here a couple of times, figured the boys owed me so I came and crashed here for a while."

Sofia got up her hand slowly grazing the table as she came toward him.

Samael crossed his arms, his eyes watching her. He snapped his hand, and Castiel came out of his daydream. He turned and watched Samael.

"If you're trying to seduce me you can save it. I've already fallen in love."

"So where is the lucky lady?"

"Dead best case scenario. Being tortured in the Bowles of hell or the turrets of heaven - worst case scenario."

"Samael was she an angel?"

"Yes little wing, she was, or is. Depending on your definition of the words Fallen and Angel."

Sofia stopped. Something flickered across her eyes,

"What was her name?"

Samael swallowed he looked away blinking his eyes rapidly.

"Naamah."

After a brief awkward pause. Chuck decided to talk.

"So tell us your story."

Samael shot him a glance.

"If you want." Chuck amended quickly, he tried to sink further into the sofa. 

Samael sat on the couch, stroking Gabriel's hair absentmindedly. Before he started his story he snapped his finger again. The girl opened her eyes and Castiel was at her side instantly. 

He crouched down on the floor and watched as she got up and groaned. Her legs swinging over the sofa to be planted on the floor. Only then did she acknowledge Castiel.

"Castiel." She said getting up and stretching.

"Sister, it's good to see you. I've missed you. Am—"

"Castiel be quiet."

Castiel cringed away, as she picked up Sam's notes.

"Kushi wasn't just a great storyteller, he was Samael's first protégé. He was your best pupil wasn't he Samael?"

Samael rolled his eyes and nodded sticking out his tongue at her.

"Amitiel. Don't be rude to your siblings. I never used to have to tell you that. You were the only to always tell us. Why are you shutting him out?"

"I don't know who among my family I can trust anymore."

"Trust Castiel. He stopped the apocalypse. Saving humanity."

"The reason our brothers and sisters fell." Amitiel said her pendant flashing.

"The thing Father loved and trusted in our care. In the care of Michael and Raphael. Do you want his death to be in vain little flower?"

Amitiel glared at him and suddenly sighed and shook her head. 

"Good. So sit and listen to the story, the reason I fell, the reason I betrayed my family."

Samael turned to Chuck and rolled his shoulders and sighed. He clapped and rubbed his hands together.

"Alright. Let's begin. My Father created Michael and I at the same time, though Michael attests that he is older. We're twins. We embody the two extremes of God's power - redemption: Michael and damnation: me. Everything was great. Oh, the swords were a gift from mother."

Samael glanced at Sofia. At this point Gabriel came to. He and Amitiel locked wide eyes. They were finally going to know the story of Her.

Samael continued,

"I feel my story has three parts, mother, darkness, and falling. So my Mother was like my father - she was a god in her own right anyway, she and father fought a lot. Michael and I tried to shield Helel (because that's who he was then, pure and beautiful Helel, shinning like the light he was named for) and Raphael from the worst of it. One day she took us aside and told us to she had to leave. She made us promise to do what was best by our brothers, to take care of them. I'd like to think we both have adhered to that. Though our definition of what's best for all of you is probably not the same."

"I'll say, do you remember what Michael did when he found about Raphael?" Asked Gabriel with a grin. 

Samael nodded. "Raphael fell in love with another angel who will remain unnamed. My understanding is you already have extensive experience with him. Anyway, Michael was very angry. But slowly came around when he saw how happy this angel made Raphael. And no Dean it's not Castiel."

Dean shrugged at Sam's look.

"I don't know what angels look in heaven. For all I know they're hot. And I have no idea what Cass is into."

Castiel blushed. 

"Do you have a type little brother?" Asked Amitiel softly, bringing his face up to meet her own.

Castiel swallowed and nodded he didn't trust himself to speak. 

Amitiel nodded and smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Me? That's your type isn't? Strong women? Castiel I love but not like that. Please understand. I'm sorry if I've hurt or was short with you."

"I was always there for you."

"Wow, cass you got friend zoned nice." Said Dean with a smirk.

Samael laughed quietly. Getting up he came and gave Castiel a hug and whispered in his ear.

"There's always been someone waiting for you. Even now. They're waiting for you. Don't sell yourself short, your soulmate is waiting for you."

Samael squeezed him in a hug.

"So anyway, back to my story. So after Mother left Michael and I took care of all of them. Soon Gabriel and Amitiel were created and we had more brothers and sisters to care for. After that, the darkness came, Amitiel wasn't able to fight she was too young. But the rest of us fought. We defeated him and locked him away. Helel got the key and got corrupted."

Here Samael paused. "But I fell not because I agreed with him. I fell because if I didn't he would die. Michael and Father would find him and kill him, someone had to protect him."

"What about the cage?" Asked Amitiel. "What purpose did that serve if you were there? You should have saved him from it!"

Samael smiled sadly and shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not that simple my dear. Michael made the cage, but someone had to make sure Lucifer went in, that was up to me. I knew Lucifer would hate me for it, but if he stayed out Michael or Father would have no choice but to smite him, and I couldn't let that happen to my baby brother. The cage was his protection, a device to isolate him yes. But more than that to keep out of Michael's reach after what he did to Gadreel. The cage wasn't a prison, it was a safe house."

Samael turned and locked eyes with Sofia. His gaze so intense it made her uncomfortable.

"As to when I lost faith? It would be when Helel howled for Father to forgive him, to save him. That it was the marks fault. When Father did nothing, I lost any love and faith I had. I don't blame my brothers for their actions though. Michael needs orders, and after Mother left, he took it upon himself to care for me as much as he cared for our other siblings. Michael was trying to be the perfectly good son so Father wouldn't take me away."


	7. Chapter 7

Chuck paced. Becky and the Winchesters had gone to sleep hours ago. The Angels weren't here. 

"Careful you'll wear a hole in the floor if you keep that up."

Said Sofia.

"They know, or at least Samael suspects." Chuck turned and his eyes flashed and He appeared.

She appeared soon after, trying to get him to calm down.

"Do you think stressing will help?"

"You almost lost your cover. How could you be so stupid!" 

He wasn't listening, he wasn't trying. He was angry and scared. He knew he had come to the end of line and it was only a matter of time before he freedfalled.

"Be careful. You need my help. And besides I hadn't seen my children in thousands of years, really seen them. Heard them talk, I was weak. Don't you dare take your fear and anger out on me. Do you understand me?"

He paused his rambling. Turning, his eyes shown with guilt and he nodded.

"I want a verbal apology."

"I'm sorry I was rude and blamed you for your inability to control your feelings."

She rolled Her eyes. He sighed and sat down.

"I am sorry. It's just I'm stressed. I'm running through all the things Samael will do when he finds out, if he finds out."

"Was forgiveness one of them?"

"What?"

"Did you ever think forgiveness would be one of them?"

"Samael would never forgive me."

"No, I mean your forgiveness of him. He's angry at you yes. He thinks you've abandoned him. But if you give him your forgiveness or to Helel it might soften him up and make him more ready to listen to your don't you think?"

He stared at her for a few moments. He reached over and kissed her hand and the room got a few degrees hotter.

"Thank you. You know you're a genius right?" He murmured into her hand. She laughed a little breathless.

"Yes, I do know that. But thank you for the compliment anyway."


	8. Chapter 8

Samael rubbed his eyes. He needed to rest, if his grace depleted even a little it would throw his whole plan off. That being said, this had to be done. Even he needed guidance once in a while.

Moving he slit his wrists, using the blood to trace sigils of communication, of togetherness, and destruction of barriers. Still this would only work if Father permitted it, if he was still alive and cared enough to do something.

The sigils glowed, Samael was in. That bastard was still alive somewhere out there.

The space opened and he was in the cage. He could see the boy he assumed to be Adam in the corner of the cage. He looked up dazed. Samael didn't have much time to look around before he was being clawed at. Teeth and nails digging into his skin, his bones, wings. Feathers fell in bloody clumps.

All the while a mournful wail escape the attacker's mouth slowly forming into words.

"You left me. You sealed me into this prison. You betrayed me!"

Samael looked around to see Michael leaning against the wall watching. He didn't react, didn't move to help. 

Samael swallowed, that spoke more volumes than the clawing. Finally Samael had had enough. Turning he cut Lucifer with his blade making him stagger backward from the sting. Using the space he didn't waste time, he tackled him to the ground. Sword point ready and pointed at his heart.

"Enough Helel. We need to talk."

"About what Samael? How I'm imprisoned with this monster?"

Lucifer flinched away from them both. Michael walked over to them both and hauled Samael to his feet.

"Well Samael? You didn't answer my question what do we need to talk about?"

Samael shook him off,

"How about that The Darkness is back?"

"What?" Michael staggered back, fear flying into his eyes.

"Yes. Since Father is no where to be seen and you're locked in here. I took control. I've brought Gabriel and Amitiel to a safe place and—"

"Gabriel is alive? Amitiel has her grace back?" Asked Michael and Lucifer respectfully.

Samael nodded and then continued.

"And I know you won't like this part, but drastic times called for drastic measures. I've called in the help from the pagan gods."

Michael nodded in approval a slight smile on his face. As if he was proud.

"How do you know they won't screw you over? They could be working for the darkness for all you know."

"You should know by now to never question his judgment Lucifer. It only makes you look foolish."

Lucifer glared up at him. Samael sighed.

"Do you know who Jiva is? Well it's not important. She leads the Hindu gods. She's powerful and I've isolated her, she does my bidding or well, the alternative isn't pleasant for her. Does that satiate you little star?"

Michael's hand twitched. Lucifer nodded.

"Don't underestimate The Darkness. He uses everything to manipulate you."

Michael had had enough of everyone being blamed for Lucifer's own follies. He rounded on him.

"Did he manipulate you little brother?"

"Yes." Lucifer said with full sincerity.

"How?" Asked Michael acidly.

"Father has a book where he would write preplanned events—"

"You went into Father's workshop!"

Michael asked aghast.

"Michael." Samael hissed. He wanted to hear Helel's reasoning. He had never told him why he rebelled, they had all assumed because he hated humanity but he had loved all of Father's creations even the animals before. Those had taken quite a while to complete and it seemed to Samael that Helel switched rapidly from being curious about them to hating them. He never understood why.

Michael rolled his eyes and motioned for Lucifer to continue.

"Anyway, The Darkness urged me to read the next page, it was still fresh, smelled of ink. And on the page it said "create humanity. Ask angles to all bow. One will not bow and lead a rebellion and then fall to become the fear aspect the evil to my good. The angel will be Samael."

Michael and Samael looked shocked. Michael reached backward to clasp Samael's hand tight in an effort to make sure he hadn't actually fallen deeper into hell.

Lucifer swallowed and then continued. Even Adam was listening now.

"I told The Darkness that couldn't be right. That Samael loved father and Michael too much to rebel. That he would never do it. The Darkness told me that if my father wrote it would happen. I asked him, "What if I fall instead? Would that change the outcome?" He said yes, it would be my name on the paper not Samael's. He warned me that I would probably never be allowed back into heaven. That my family would probably turn against me. If I was willing to risk all that for this book to change the name then to go for it.

Up until this point I had resisted its temptation but it told me that it could take the pain away that it could help shield my thoughts from Father. That it could help me become a fighter, make it sure I wouldn't die. All that it asked was for control and to be away from my Father's watchful eye. And then I wanted to be away too. I wanted to make my own future. I didn't want to be part of a heaven where the person in charge dictated everything. So I finally let go and let the Darkness fully in.

You all know the rest, I only really came too after I gave the mark to Cain. But by then it was too late."

Michael and Samael were crying after he had finished the story. After a long pause Samael managed to speak.

"You did all of that for me star? Wow, thank you."

"You would do the same thing for me."

Michael turned and yanked Samael close his eyes wide and manic. Samael was disheartened to think that now all Michael would be thinking about how right Father was. How he couldn't do no wrong. How He should never be doubted.

"Get us out of here Sun. Now."

"I— what about Father? Shouldn't you want to wait till his approval to get out?"

Michael took a deep breath. His voice was shaky. As if he couldn't even believe what he was going to say.

"No. From all that I've gained from this story, spending time with Helel, and watching the Winchesters is that family is important. Father wasn't wrong. But his leaving was a test not to see if we could run heaven but if we could keep our family together. And I won't fail his test again. I'm helping you defeat The Darkness. We're all going to do it together, with Raphael, the natural order be damned."

As Michael finished his impassioned speech the air around them began to glow with white hot power. The next moment they were in Winchester bunker. Dean, Sam, Castiel, Chuck, Sofia, and Becky staring at them. Castiel in terror. Everyone else with varying degrees with shock. 

"What the— Adam?!"


	9. Chapter 9

Abaddon woke up in ice. The world around her was cold. The world below and surrounding her was white. The first thing she noticed was the cold, the fact that she could feel it alarmed her.

"Your grace is failing, that's why you can feel the temperature."

Abaddon looked up and to the right to see a man standing watching her. He was clad in black, his leather jacket gathering snow. She didn't have to have her grace to know who it was. The feeling of pain so sharp it felt like a knife told her enough. Even if her mind didn't know her grace did. Her grace reacting and calling out to its other half the one it lost told her everything.

"Azrael." She breathed. She cursed in her head, she sounded weak and vulnerable.

Azrael smiled at her and came down to give thee hand up. Naturally she didn't take it, she had to retain some of her reputation. 

"Hey there Firecracker. How have you been?"

Abaddon looked up in surprise. He sounded broken, scared. He sounded like he was putting aside their game for the moment. Abaddon wanted to tell him she wasn't fine. That she was scared she was dying again. That she was losing everything. She never felt the need to open up, but she never had to before, he always knew what was happening. She took a breath and let him in.

He opened his arms and held her. Finally she was able to calm down.

"Wait how am I here? I died. Those damn Winchesters got to me."

"I don't know Firecracker. But something is wrong. And I fear the Winchester will know the answer, or at least the cause."

Abaddon rolled her eyes, but buried closer into his arms.

"I can feel your warmth Az. And you smell divine."

Azrael forced himself to keep lose, to not tense up in fear. He had to get to the Winchesters and soon, or he would lose Abaddon again. He couldn't afford that.

"Does it turn you on Fire?" Azrael whispered in her ear, gently biting her earlobe.

Abaddon hummed and pulled him closer. Azrael smiled into her hair.

"Hold on Abbey we're going on a ride."


	10. Chapter 10

Becky shook her head, her heart went out to the Angels, they had lost their father and had tear each other apart. Still it didn't excuse their behavior toward humans to people like her. 

Becky watched as Samael paced as Michael gave him orders. So this was Michael in his element. Samael stopped and looked her, next moment he was in front of her.

"Can I help you Rebecca?"

"It's Becky." She said annoyed.

"Whatever, what do want?" 

Becky didn't have an answer, luckily for her Samael was called away.

"Samael! Come here. Don't torture the prophet's consort."

Samael smirked. 

"So you're Chuck's girlfriend? You suit each other. Both of you have that squalor quality."

Becky's shocked face made him smile wilder.

He came closer, leaning toward her. His hand came and pulled her chin to meet his eyes. His fingers felt like fire.

"A word of caution. Those who get a prophet don't end well. They die, get raped, hurt, become mentality unstable. Look at Mary magaline."

Michael came and pulled him away. Samael used his hand to trail down her arm, the fire continued she started to see spots suddenly it stopped. 

She looked up to see Lucifer in front of her.

"Leave her Samael. She's the prophet's property."

She chafed under the wording but remained quiet.

"Well loook who finally developed an appreciation for Father's favorite children."

Samael kicked him away, throwing him to the floor. He tried to get up, but a blade was stabbed near his back. He screamed again, Gabriel looked away holding Amitiel back as she glared at them.

"Michael stabbed him in the wing." Samael chucked to her.

"Why?"

"Because humans don't deserve our pity. Because this prophet hasn't done much in the word of God. Because there can be only one prophet and he's with the Angels in the desert training now to read the word of God.  
So that begs the question, who is Chuck? Because he's not on the list of official prophets the one Father hand wrote for us."

Chuck closed his eyes listening. He had no choice now.

Suddenly the sound of wings filled the room. Chuck turned to see Azrael holding Abaddon as she hung limp in his arms.

"Abbs? Asked Amitiel shocked wrenching her arm from Gabriel's grip. 

"Amy? Did you know Azrael is soo warm?" Asked Abaddon quietly. Her voice slightly slurred.

"I know you both like to play rough but I think you went too far this time Azrael." Said Samael Becky forgotten. Azrael rolled his eyes, he placed on her the couch. 

"Her grace is failing her. She's going to die. I don't know what to do Samael. I can't lose her again."

Said Azrael quietly. Samael sighed resigned. He pulled him into a hug to his surprise. 

"Make your peace with it. There's nothing you can do now." Chuck's fingers twitched he always had a soft spot for Abaddon. She had risen from being one of the lowest angles for her small stature to one that is feared and revered. 

"Azrael, Samael move. I can't save her if you're in the way." Said a new voice. 

"Raphael." Said Castiel he looked scared.

Azrael and Samael moved. Samael caught Michael's eye in shock. He shouldn't be alive. What was happening?

"Raphael?" Asked Gabriel timidly as Lucifer dragged himself away. 

"Not now Gabriel. I have more important things to deal than your reason for betrayal."

Gabriel flinched away. Raphael placed his index and middle finger on Abaddon's forehead. His hand began to glow then died. Turning back to Azrael he said.

"It's okay. She's going to be fine now."

Azrael hugged Raphael taking him by surprise.

A gold smoke whirled around outside the bunker. It tried to get in.

Samael and Michael didn't say anything but shared a sly smile while Gabriel was grinning.

"What's that?" Asked Adam. Raphael followed his eyes.

He smiled. With a snap of his fingers all the salt barriers vanished. The gold cloud whirled around the bunker before it wound around Raphael till it got to his shoulders. It seemed to whisper something to Raphael who laughed in response. 

"Go find a vessel. I'll wait for you."

The gold cloud zoomed out of the window. 

"Raphael who is that?" Asked Castiel. 

"That's... You'll see."

"It doesn't matter, the salt is all gone, it's a demon. We kill it."

"Yeah I don't see that happening. Hello Boy-King."

"Yellow eyes?? You died."

"Yes I know. Raphi here did my rites." Azazel turned to Raphael who was trying to treat Amitiel's wrist but she refused to leave Abaddon's side much to Azrael's amusement.

"Thanks for that by the way Raphi."

Raphael looked up and winked.

"Are you sure we can't kill Castiel? After all he opened purgatory and let the Leviathans free and more importantly he killed you."

"Azazel no, we've been over this. I don't like him, but we have more pressing things to discuss."

"Then stop wasting time Raphael. What is so important? If it's about The Darkness being back then I already know that."

Said Michael his arms crossed.

Raphael stopped struggling with Amitiel and took a step back almost falling. Azazel was able to catch him and ease him into a chair. He kissed him on the cheek in an effort to get him relax.

"Explain." He said to Michael. 

However it was Abaddon that answered, 

"The short version? I was revived and well the Winchester duo here wanted me dead because I took their demon pet away from them. So Crowley tricked Dean into taking the mark from Cain, and when he removed it, —   
Drawled Abaddon while getting up to hug Azrael and Amitiel. 

"The Darkness came back." Finished Raphael he groaned.

"Castiel did you help them?"

"yes but I didn't know the consequences."

"Find out! You should have asked Death or anyone that was alive at the time."

"Raphael they're all dead, there's no one I could have asked."

"Well whose fault was that? I didn't stop the apocalypse, I didn't have a brother die for me, I didn't imprison the prince of heaven. I didn't kill heaven's healer in cold blood. That was all you Castiel. So therefore it's your fault the world is ending at the hand of the The Darkness."

Samael and Michael shared a look. Before they couldn't chaste him Lucifer spoke up.

"What was your important news, flower?"

Raphael glared at the nickname. 

"Angels, demons are coming back from the dead. I didn't how or why. But now I think it's somehow connected to The Darkness being rereleased into the world again."


	11. Chapter 11

Vaatu banged his gavel to call the council into order. Around him stood the senior most gods. 

Raava to his right. Then Biami, Allah, then Brahman whose seat was absent, Elohim, Alodnai, Zeus and ending with Odin on his left.

"Brahman has escaped and run to earth. We're assuming that he went to warn Yahweh. We have yet to locate Asherah, but chances are that wherever Yahweh is so will she."

Vaatu sat back down and was about to open the floor to the other council members to see what they were thinking. When Yahweh's file pinged.

The council waited as Raava and Vaatu looked at the file. Raava sucked in her breath as Vaatu cursed.

"Amaro has been released."

"Can't they lock him back it up again?" Suggested Aldonai.

"Not again. Amaro is smart he'll adapt. Learn to counter them. He's after a level 5 Chaotic."

Said Raava.

"Why don't we ask the other Chaotics?"  
Said Alodnai.

"They'll be asleep now in their cages. If they were to be woken up now they wouldn't help." Sighed Vaatu.

"This is why I hate Chaotics. They're unpredictable and terrible to control."

Mutters Zeus.

"Without them, you wouldn't be able to create a stable experiments. All of the experiments need a balanced neutral starting condition. You know this Zeus."

Said Raava.

Zeus sighed and nodded.

"It's just they're animals, they don't understand emotions and relationships. All they understand is destruction and chaos.  
How do you reason with that? How do you control that?" 

Asked Aldonai one of the newer council members. He was in the stages of creating his first experiment. 

Raava smiled at his naivety.

"You don't control it, you work together with them in tandem. Chaos and order are not opposites. They are two sides of the coin that is the universe. They can't exist without each other. Chaos promotes change - evolution. Order permits stagnancy - life. Without chaos there would be no evolution, everything will remain the same. No changes. Chaos forces things to evolve or die, and no one wants to die so they evolve. And so the cycle repeats itself."

Vaatu nodded and added,

"However, Amaro isn't doing this to promote life, he's doing it for the joy of it. He wants to kill all of Yahweh's experiments. I told him to not cage him, to not abuse him. I warned him that abusing Amaro would end badly. Yahweh never listened."

"Do you think we should help him?"

Raava asked. Vaatu thought for a while. Finally nodding.

"Then we can sway the inhabitants of Earth to our side. To the side of ascension.

Thought Vaatu to Raava. She didn't give any indication of hearing him. Out loud she said,

"So who should we send?"

"Aldonai, with one of the staff in case he needs anything. Sounds good Aldonai? You ready to see your big brother again?"

Aldonai nodded numbly to Vaatu's question. As he rose Elohim came and whispered in his ear.

"Find Yahweh and help him. Take care little brother." Aldonai smiled and nodded squeezing his hand.

Turning Aldonai asked,

"So when do I leave?"

"Oh Aldonai? Bring Brahman home." Called Raava after him. Unbeknownst to her Aldonai rolled his eyes and nodded. He didn't see the need to bring Brahman home, but it wasn't up to him it was up to the council. What the coucil wants they get. He had thought if he joined them he could change things but it was all for naught.

Maybe it wasn't all a lost cause. If he could get Yahweh on his side he had a fighting of chance of eliciting some change.


	12. Chapter 12

Samael took Michael too see his plan. He could already see all the pagans beginning to gather at and around Jiva's home. 

"So they can't get in?" Asked Michael.

"Nope. I mean they can, just can't leave. So she must of realized it if there so many outside."

"It was you, you were the one who put this spell on her wards." 

Said a man behind them. Michael's sword was our and ready. Samael's hand rested on wrist to keep him from attacking the stranger.

"You must be Jiva's father. It's a pleasure to meet you mister...?"

"Brahman. I don't have time for this. I need to bring my daughter home."

"Well I'm sorry for your inconvenience. But if you want to see your daughter you have to help us."

Brahman suddenly smiled, and gave a rueful laugh. 

"They're certainly their father's children aren't they Aldonai?" Michael and Samael exchanged a look. Till they saw two men emerge from the forest.

"Thanks for blowing my cover. Brahman."

"Oh relax Aldonai. Come and meet your nephews."

Before Aldonai could move the landscape started to change. Fire started to appear, the clouds above began to swirl, lightning flashing.

"Samael calm down. This is not how we talk to family."

"How is this a family Michael? How are they family! Our brothers and sisters are either dead, killed, or hurting each other. There is no love between them. Why should I give this Aldonai any of my time when Father mentioned them, when I know they'll be just as much of a flake and bastard as his brother?" 

Michael punched him sending him crashing to the ground. Aldonai, the ascension, and Brahman stepped back. The fires started to climb higher. Lighting stroked more often threatening to songs the ground.

"You claim to be wiser, more patient than our siblings. You claim to be a good a leader. But looks at you, your acting like Lucifer when he doesn't get something. When he's being ignored. You're pathetic Samael and you don't even realize it."

Michael walked to the gods stepping purposefully on Samael's hand making him gasp as Michael's boot ground into his bone.

"You're not acting like the leader your father made you to be either. I can't imagine him condoning such acts, he was always a pacifist." Said Aldonai. 

Suddenly he was flung backward, before he could get up, Michael was straddling a blade poised at his heart.

"Don't you dare talk about my father as if you know him. Don't you dare think that I will let you lecture me or any of my siblings. We were taught to be respectful to elders, but always speak out mind, to defend what is ours. You are no exception. And until Father turns up and tells me himself you both are our prisoner... Does that help your overarching plan Sun?"

Asked Michael turning to Samael who had finally managed to stand and was trying to heal his broken hand.

"That works Prince."

"How would you capture us? Do you know how to catch Gods?" Asked Brahman smirking. 

"No, but we defiantly know how to manipulate them." As Samael's fingers snapped hordes of red and white demons came to him. And Michael held the ascension in place, slowly ripping him apart through his mind.

"These demons are loyal to Samael they also have a grudge against pagan gods particularly Hindu. Come with us now and your daughter and her family won't get slaughtered. As for you Aldonai come with us and I won't make your boyfriend's brain turn to rot."

"How—how did you know?" Aldonai chocked out as Brahman looked shocked at Aldonai. It was against the rules to date an ascension, they had inferior genetic material, they wouldn't be able to produce or gestate a God.

"Our brother has the same look when he sees his boyfriend. Now are you both going to listen to what Michael said or are we going to have to do this the hard way?"

Both Gods shook their heads and came with them back to the Winchester bunker. 

"Seriously this isn't a hotel, find your own damn impenetrable fortress!" Said Dean though a mouthful of pie.

But Aldonai and Brahman weren't listening. They were watching Chuck with shocked expressions. Chuck look around terrified, like he had been caught red handed.

"Yahweh? So this is where you've been hiding."

"Father?!" Screamed the archangels change in varying degrees of outrage.

"Wait Chuck is God?!" Asked Dean still with his mouth filled with pie.

"Yes, as is Sofia." Said Aldonai with a smirk.

"Mother?" Asked Michael and Samael in awe. 

Chuck held up his hands for quiet.

"Please let me explain."

"Yes, please Father explain why you abandoned us." Said Raphael with a sneer.


	13. Chapter 13

Chuck sighed. This was his worst nightmare. Before he could spiral into even more self pity he remembered what Sofia had said.

"Helel your forgiven. You can come home if you want."

"Do you think that will make us suddenly forgive you?" The voice was surprisingly from Gabriel who looked livid. 

"No, I — look I'm trying here."

"The council says your world is going to be purged soon Yahweh if you don't do something." Said Aldonai.

"What do you want from me Samael?" Asked Brahman with a sigh.

"I want you to convince your daughter and her family to help us defeat the darkness. Your Hindus have the biggest pantheon of pagan gods — 300. We need that number if we're going to have even a fighting chance at defeating The Darkness."

Brahman nodded resigned. 

Don't you think I don't know that Aldonai? I can't lose my children."

"You say that for every world Yahweh." Remarked Aldonai exasperated.

"Wait other worlds? Does that mean you've had other children? Children that you've let die for this council?" Asked Lucifer his eyes flashing.

Chuck gulped and nodded.

There was a heavy silence as all the people waited for Lucifer to yell, throw his tantrum. But when the outburst finally came it wasn't from Lucifer but from Dean. 

"Yeah screw that. I haven't been through hell, purgatory, and survived the mark just to roll over and die. I'm not going to die just because some council says so. Team Free Will ready for round two?"

"Count us in. I will not die, Father needs me as do my brothers. I won't die." Said Michael turning to Dean.

"Wait, wait us? I don't remember signing up for this Mickey."

"Gabriel if you want to me to ever help you again, and not kill you you'll do as Michael says." Said Raphael.

"Does that mean you'll forgive as well?"

"I'll think about. It will be an option, a possibility. But if you walk away now that possibility is gone."

Gabriel nodded. "Fine. So whose on this Team Free-Will?"

Dean was about to speak before they heard a British drawl.

"Well hello Samael. Word is you have demons under your wings.  
My demons, give them back."

"Crowley, the world is ending and your worried about a few demons?"

"Yes. When you all defeat this darkness who do you think the Angels next target will be? Hell. I won't lose my kingdom to a bunch of overgrown birds."

Raphael growled, till he felt a hand in his own. He looked to the side to see  
Azazel smiling at him. Azazel gave him a wicked grin and pulled him into a kiss.

Dean gaged.

"I'm never going to get used to that."

"Imagine what's it like for me, Azazel's a demon, it feels odd to see a pure angelic grace to be wrapped around something so putrid."

Azazel stared at Crowley his eyes filled with rage. An angel blade ready and twinkling in the light.

Raphael held him back.

"Don't kill him Aza."

"Why?"

"Can't you feel that? That feint grace?"

"No. Who is it?"

"Our friend. Our first pupil."

Michael and Samael looked at each other confused. Lucifer rolled his eyes.

"The first person they taught soul-bonding to."

The room suddenly tilted, and stated to shake. Crowley's eyes began to glow the red intensifying.

"Raphael you both died. How are you alive?" He asked quietly in a whisper, finally realizing it. 

Raphael gave Azazel a warning glance who rolled his eyes and nodded. Raphael kissed him on the cheek making him smile and walked toward Crowley.

"I don't how we're alive Crowley. All I know is that it probably has something to do with The Darkness. I don't know if he's here Crowley."

Crowley closed his eyes. He didn't ask that, he hadn't want to know the answer to that. He didn't want to think of him of what it would mean.

"My dear Crowley, do you think I would abandon you? You're my best friend, my partner, my world. I don't abandon those I love."

As suddenly the shakes and tilting started, they stopped. They all looked behind Crowley to see a man with blonde hair, a sweater-vest, and glasses staring back at them with a kind smile.

"Azira? You're here? Really here? Please let this not be another nightmare."

The man crossed to Crowley, his hand intertwining with his. He bent his head to him, and shook his head.

"No this is not a nightmare. This is real, I'm home Crowley and I'm not leaving you again. It seems you don't act on your best behavior when I'm not around."

Crowley chuckled weakly and pulled him down for a kiss.

The archangels all smiled, Raphael and Azazel clapped. Though Castiel was the only one who looked shocked.

"That's Aziraphale. He guarded the eastern gate of Eden. Instead following orders to chase Adam and Eve away He gave them his flaming sword to save them. He saved humanity and Father punished by placing him on earth. He was an amazingly patient. The fledglings all loved me, Balthazar and I would sneak into the garden to talk to him and Joshua."

Castiel spoke in reverence, fearing that if he spoke any louder he'd break the scene before him.

Michael turned to Dean. 

"Team free-will will consist of us, you, Sam and Adam correct?"

"And me. I'm not letting any of you be alone with Raphael."

"I never hurt him. Azazel."

"No you were worse, you walked away, you chose Lucifer over him."

"As did you brother."

"No I didn't. I didn't leave him. My soul-bond is still intact. Gabriel left him alone with Michael who destroyed him. Didn't you Michael?"

Michael glared. 

"Watch your tongue Azaziel. I would not cross me today. And no I didn't hurt him. I might of been hard on him but that was to toughen him up, he needed to be a leader not a healer."

"He didn't need to "toughen up"! He was already strong! You didn't make him strong, you broke him. You all did." Said Azazel sweeping his gaze over all the archangels.

"Except maybe Amitiel. She didn't do anything wrong." Azazel admitted as an afterthought.

"Yahweh it seems you don't have a good track record with you're children." Said Brahman with a smirk.

Yahweh stuck his tongue at him.

"They love me. They're just angry. Dean, Michael count me in. I want to be on team free will."

"No." Said Dean earning a look from Michael.

"What?"

"Chuck look, you're a cool guy and all, but it's because of you that this whole mess started. So sorry but no."

"I can help!"

"How?"

"I can strengthen your numbers, bring back anyone you need. Give you cool powers. Come on Dean!"

Dean looked at him hard.

"This is his last chance to stand up to the council. They've been hinting that after this world they're taking away his title and license of Godhood. Meaning he can't create anything ever again."

Said Sofia from the couch where Amitiel was sitting next to her snuggling.

"So the revised list is—" Said Gabriel.

"Not so fast. We have a few more people who want join." Said Abaddon materializing into the room.

She looked a lot better, her grace was back and she was glowing with happiness. Azrael appeared behind her, his hand grazing her exposed waist. She grinned at him from the contact. He winked.

"You still got it Snowflake I'm impressed."

"Oh, trust me Firecracker you haven't seen anything yet."

"So who did you bring?"

Asked Samael fighting a smile.

Dean rolled his eyes.

"Is everyone in heaven this sexually suppressed? Seriously so many damn couples."

"You're just upset because you're not getting any." Quipped Adam from next to Sam. Sam grinned and high fived him. Dean rolled his eyes.

"Ugh! I'm getting more pie." Dean left the room. 

"Can you really bring back anyone?" Asked Sam quietly. 

Samael could see the hope flaring in his soul. He could see it, knew it wasn't possible not without strings. And yet he had the same hope. 

"Yes." Chuck nodded with a smile. 

"So who wants to go first? Michael? Who would you like back?"

Samael's eyes widened he was including them. He could see her again. 

"Really Father?"

"Yes." 

"Say Gadreel." Thought Samael. One of the perks of being an archangel was the ability to communicate by thought. It saved time when in battles and kept the other Angels from jumping to conclusions if they heard something they weren't supposed to.

"No Samael. I couldn't." Michael thought. Longing and resignation creeping into his mind.

"Why?" Asked Lucifer. 

Samael could feel the rest of the archangels pressing in with curiosity. It was up to Michael if he wanted to share his reasons, Samael had his suspicions. Besides Michael could also just block them all and then just tell him. Another bonus of telepathy? They could block out each other. So only certain brothers knew certain things. 

"Because I owe him. I was wrong. Gadreel deserves to come back when there's no threat. When he's safe. When I can finally let my guard down and be happy."

The other archangels looked to Samael for guidance. Michael never let them in like this. It was Raphael who took the lead then.

"Then we'll work hard to make it happen for you, for both of you." 

Michael smiled and let slip his gratitude. As the other archangels pulled away Raphael swooped in and blocked them out. Samael could have easily pushed him back but he sensed that Michael was curious. He held his brothers and sister back. 

Raphael had blocked the rest of the archangels and Michael was more than a little curious as to why. He sensed Raphael was nervous.

"Say what you need to flower. I won't be mad."

"You want to soul-bond with him don't you?"

Sometimes it floored Michael at how much Raphael picked up on. He was always so observant, maybe that's why he loved Azazel so much. It made him reach out and enjoy life.

Michael gave him bright smile.

"Yes. I would like too very much. Is it worth it little brother?"

Raphael's grace glowed. 

"Yes it is. I'm glad I did it, it was one of the best decisions I ever made." 

"Bringing them back won't heal the pain." Said a voice behind them all.

Abaddon gestured with a smile.

"Meet the last few members of Team Free-Will: Ithuriel, and Zephon. For you humans they're guardian angels so if you have any qualms with how your life's been going so far blame them."

Abaddon gave them a sly smile and walked away with Zephon's glare boring a hole into her head.

"Guardian angles? Seriously."

Asked Dean from the doorway, his pie forgotten. His eyes hardened. 

"Do I have one?" Dean added.

Zephon nodded and gestured to Ithuriel who waved his hand.

Zephon turned to see Gabriel watching them.

"Gabriel, nice to see you alive."

"And it's nice to see you both actually present. You never reported to me." He quipped back in his best Archangel voice.

Zephon rolled his eyes, a smile on his face.

"Let's just say we've been busy. He said purposefully lacing his hand through Ithuriel's. Gabriel almost tackled them.

"Seriously! Yes!!! Tell me everything! You guys could barely stand each other in heaven!"

"Yo, my gaurdian Angel, I have a few things to discuss with you. Now."

"You humans are so damn demanding. Ask me, use my name. And I might give you the time of day."

"Ooh! You made him mad! That's pretty hard to do, congrats Dean. You win a free year of angst!" Said zephon from the ground as Gabriel all but shook him to get his attention.

"Is my life a joke to all of you?"

Chuck sighed, that question was never good.

"Zephon." Zephon had gotten up from the floor but he froze looking to Michael.

"Yes my dear and favorite older brother?" Gabriel mocked being stabbed.

Michael gave him a small smile.

"Tell him the truth, don't hold back."

Chuck looked shocked.

"What? Father always said to guide them. How do we guide them if we can't tell them the truth?" Asked Michael to Chuck. Samael grinned behind him while Lucifer mocked bowing to an imaginary audience.

"Well with the Prince's blessing I shall." said Zephon bowing to Michael.

"Wait you soul-bonded! Raphael did you this??" Gabriel yelled, gripping Ithuriel's arm and looking at Raphael. Raphael nodded with a smile. He turned to Ithuriel and asked,

"Who taught you?"

"Aziraphale. The book was a gift for our 1,000th anniversary?" Ithuriel turned to ask Zephon who nodded. Zephon then turned to Dean.

"Your life isn't a joke to us Dean. It's not a game to us either, we don't sit around betting on you. We're just older than you, we see time and life differently. You all see the immediate we see longterm. We've been dealt with our far share of war and treachery. We don't find it something to celebrate when comes on you. But you do this to yourself, you tempt faith, and cheat death at every turn. They hunt you, you owe them. Killing Death didn't by you time, it expedited it. Now the reapers don't have someone to stop them from killing you, and they will hunt you, you killed their father their creator. And if we try to save you it will be an all out war between Angels and reapers. Reapers don't just take human souls they take ours as well. We would force them to extermination to bring back our brothers and sisters."

Dean blinked. "Well if you had guided me this never would have happened."

"We guide you, we don't force you. Tell me how many times do you listen to Castiel about something? We can't force you to make certain choices. We don't have that much power, nor do we want to. People tend to not to listen to people who give them advice opposite to what's better." Ithuriel spoke softly, nervously playing with the bracelet on Zephon's wrist. 

"Well what about Chuck? He's God can't he revive Death?"

Zephon, Ithuriel, Abaddon, and Azrael froze. Chuck closed his eyes and braced himself.

Azrael was the first to break it.

"Chuck is Father? Father is in this room? Michael is that true?"

The four beings turned to Michael and Samael. Samael sighed into the book he was reading.

Michael smiled. "Yes my little brothers and sisters, you will be one of the few angels excluding archangels to meet Father, enjoy."

"Ask him anything, and if doesn't answer keep asking. He loves that." Deadpanned Samael not looking up even as Michael's glare was on him.

"Before you ask me anything, I want you all to do something for me. Will you all help me defeat the darknes. Will you help me protect humanity from destruction?"

Using weapons to fight an amoral force doesn't seem like a great idea. Why not use an emotion. Something that unifies everyone against it?" Asked Ithuriel.

"That's a load of bullshit. It's a monster, monsters die by weapons." Dean said.

"Not necessarily."said Sofia.

"Oh guys this is Mother."  
Gabriel said to the shocked faces of the other younger Angels.

"We have a mother?! Seriously! Awesome!" 

Yelled Zephon making Ithuriel hit him.

Sofia smiled at him, and continued to Dean.

"Humanity. You spend so much time trying to find the "right" person, that "perfect" person that will compete you. You forget that no one is perfect, that you miss everything. You lose out on amazing experiences and meeting wonderful people. You search for the one isolates you to be alone."

"Love is not something that is supposed to be fleeting it's hard and fragile and one of the strongest emotions you posses. You love family and friends but when did you start to lose that for your fellow brother and sisters? The ones that you might no their name but are still family. When did you start to label them as strangers? As murders, and terriosts? This world as lost the love it had for each other and everything. Only by finding that can you even hope to start to heal all the darkness that is here and inside every person on Earth."

"So you want us to what? Unite all of humanity? Are you seriously asking for World-Peace?" Dean asked incredulously.

Chuck smiled at the idea. Sofia nodded. 

"That is precisely what I'm asking." 

Meanwhile, Amitiel had gotten up and had a chalk board ready.

"So Team Will consists of Sam, Dean, Adam, Michael, Samael, Helel, Raphael, Azazel, Gabriel, Amitiel, Azrael, Abaddon, Ithuriel, Zephon, Castiel, Crowley, and Aziraphale. Am I missing anyone?"

"You are not joining the fight Mother?" Asked Samael.

"I am. But I will go home, keep them subdued. Brahman Aldonai I don't need to threaten you into ensuring my children live do I?"

Brahman and Aldonai shook their heads. The ascension smiled.

"Oh screw it, fine Chuck you can join and Becky as well I guess by default. But Chuck that means you bring back everyone we ask for, everyone. Understand?"

Chuck nodded smiling. "Thank you for the opportunity. It's a real hon—"

"Oh shut it Yahweh it's pathetic to see you groveling to your experiment."

"Child!"

"Whatever. Same thing." Aldonai said with a smirk.

"We're going to get along famously, uncle." Said Samael. 

"Yes we will, but now we have work to do."


	14. Chapter 14

Vaatu sat on the sun garden leafing through a book when he smelled the scent of honeysuckle. He looked up to see his daughter running past him. She flashed him a dazzling smile he nodded at her.

"They will be destroyed if we stay apart Raava." He said feeling her stand behind him.

"Well change then Vaatu and they won't be."

Vaatu rolled his eyes and got up, placing the book on the bench.

"You know your not perfect right? You assume you are and it drives me insane."

Zia shook her head as she heard their arguing. She had to find her brother. She had to find Nero. They're plan might finally be able to happen.

"Nero!" Called Zia into the forest, no response. She heard a masculine laugh a few ways of in the distance and she made her way there, careful to not trip on the twigs. Everything here was engineered to look real. The twigs snapped if you stepped on them, but the ground was soft like a down carpet. Zia was able to run barefoot and soundlessly through the forest till she came to the clearing.

She peered behind a giant elm tree to see her older brother Nero lounging on the ground he was laughing at something. Zia rolled her eyes and made a move to step out of the shadows till she saw Draven come from behind a curve in the clearing blocked by trees. He looked beautiful, it was no secret that every girl on their world wanted him, he didn't date any of them, he claimed it was because of his parents strictness, but some of the girls thought he had a secret girlfriend. 

He handed Nero a flower and with a snap of his fingers multicolored petals rained down on them in the clearing. Zia's eyebrow furrowed in confusion but she stayed silent.

"Happy anniversary Nero. I know you like to be the romantic one, but I want you to see that I'm just as good."

"Anniversary?" Thought Zia. 

"Dravan it's okay. I love it. I wonder will this become a new competition, who could be more romantic? I'll be winning since I have a huge lead, obviously." 

"What? No! That's not fair, we start even no points. This one won't count for me either."

Nero shook his head and pushing Dravan to the ground, and kissed him on the mouth.

Zia couldn't take it anymore, she leaped out of her hiding place and screamed.

"Nero!"

"Shit." "Z?" Draven and Nero spoke respectfully.

Zia looked at them confused and furious. But now wasn't the time to ask about her brother's love life.

"It's the Room of Worlds. There is something happening."

"Are saying we might have a chance?" Asked Nero carefully while pulling Draven to his feet.

"Yeah we might. But we have to hurry. Before Mother and Father find out."

"Wait this the plan you were telling me? The one where I told you were crazy?"

Nero gave him a lopsided smile. Zia stared she didn't know Nero even know how to do that.

"Babe! Ugh, count me in. This can't end well  
If you're going to give me that smile."

Zia giggled at Dravan's outburst, Nero rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue at him. Then as if remembering that Zia was there, he became serious, and nodded they ran to the room Draven at their heels. 

They made it to the room. As they opened the door, Dravan began to smile.

"Why is he smiling?"

"What now you won't talk to him?" Asked Nero defensive.

Zia smiled and laughed.

"No I just assumed you would know the reason your boyfriend—

"Zia!"  
Nero said incredulously.

—is smiling like an idiot at a door." Zia finished burst out laughing.

Draven chucked as well, giving Nero a shrug.

Nero groaned, "I'm surrounded by idiots."

"Idiots you love." Said Draven with a smile.

Nero sighed contentedly lacing his fingers through his.

"Yes, idiots I love very much." Nero repeated softly. 

They stared at each other till Zia broke the moment a minute later.

"You two are adorable! I've never seen Ro so relaxed. I wholeheartedly approve."

Nero turned to her, his eyes wide frightened.

"Ro? Is something wrong."

"You find it adorable? You approve? You don't find it repulsive or unnatural?"

"Yes! I told you I approved! And no of course not, I mean I'm kind of annoyed that Draven is taken but that's about it. Why? Why would you assume I would think such things?"

"Because your parents do. Nero is going to inherent the title of Lord of Shadow from Vaatu. He would need an heir, a successor. Which means he needs to marry a woman."

"Where was I when Father told you this? And why didn't you tell me! I could have done something Ro!"

Nero shook his head, opening the door. He slipped in the other two following quickly after.

"I am to lead after Father, he's been taking me aside for the past few years to show me how to do it, an inside look if you will. The day he told me, he didn't know what I was. Who kept me up at night, evaded every waking moment of my mind. He was executing two ascensions for treason, when he found them to be in a relationship. And then told me that stuff. Your not old enough yet Z. Your still a child in our parents eyes."

"Good."

"Good?" Nero said turning around look at her tear stained face. She sniffed.

"Good, because they'll never suspect me. They'll never think to shut me out because I won't understand them, because children don't pay attention anyway, right?" Zia said with a smile. 

Nero smiled, his eyes blurred by tears. He opened his arms and Zia hugged him, hard and long. She whispered in his ear over and over of how proud she was of him.

Nero marveled at how grown up she sounded, had so much time passed that she had grown up before his eyes?

Pulling away Zia giggled again.

"Though I have to say, nicely done on catching Draven. He's hot."

Draven chuckled from somewhere inside the room.

Nero smiled. "Thanks. I know, you should see him without those cumbersome clothes."

Zia gasped and almost screamed. Nero laughed at her face and Draven stuck his head around a pillar giving them a mock scowl.

"You both know I'm not a hunk of chocolate right? I have rights and feelings."

"That's not what you were saying last night Ravan." Said Nero, pinning him to the pillar.

"Ro, your going to scar her."

"Who cares, I'm happy."

"Wow, so now I know who wears the pants in the relationship. Said Zia.

"What no, are you kidding me? I had to be the one to ask him out, to slowly ease him into anything remotely intimate." Draven said pushing past Nero.

"Ugh. It's been two years and you still won't let me forget that." 

Zia giggled and Dravan stuck out his tongue at him. Nero rolled his eyes and moved away. 

"Z, it's over here." Called Nero. Zia and Draven made it to a hidden door in the back of the room, exchanging the hanging lanterns of the first room for hanging orbs of life in the other.

"Wow." Said Draven in awe.

"You've never been here? Wouldn't you Father take you?" Zia asked.

Draven's father was one of the senior most members of the council. He also was the nicest, everyone loved him. 

"Nope Father hasn't taken me here yet. You've both gotten in?"

"Only with prodding and even then only with adult supervision. I'm shocked Elohim hasn't let you in Draven. He seems pretty lax about things like that."

Zia said watching Nero search through the Starworlds Logbook. If the world they needed was here, it would be in that.

Draven let out a harsh laugh. "Yeah it appears that way doesn't it? Like he's chill, nice even. Sorry sweatheart, he's not. He's a bastard. Controlling and paranoid. I mean I know he cares but he's obsessed with power. He wants me to marry you so I would have power. Power he could use to do whatever he wanted. I've been telling him I'm not ready, that I need to know you better before I make a move."

Zia didn't have words, she couldn't imagine what that was like to be pigeonholed, forced to play a part you clearly don't want to. 

"Promise me if it ever comes down to having to marry me you'll take Ro and run?"

"Zia, you know he—"

"I'm asking you. My brother loves you, truly. I can't see him unhappy, I can't live with myself if I become the cause of it. I'll take care of everything here, just promise me that."

Draven gulped nodded. He kissed her on the cheek.

"Your amazing. I hope you know that."

"Thanks I know."

"Guys? There you are! I found it, and there's an anomaly. What are you guys talking about?"

"How angry Draven is that I ruined your date. Apparently he was looking forward to dessert, if you catch my drift." Zia waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Now whose corrupting her?" 

"I just assumed it was okay. After you did it."

As adorable as the flirting was, they had deadline.

"Let's see this anomaly Ro." Zia said. 

They made their way to one of the orbs. Odd number 145 million in fact Zia found squinting to inspect the number scrawled on the orb face.

Nero swiped his hand to the right, moving the world, moving to the very edge of the orb.

"What's that?" Asked Draven pointing to a small red orangey spot in the very corner of the orb.

"Our ticket out of here." Said Nero. 

"Out? That's your grand plan. Nero you're not an idiot. Vaatu and Raava will destroy the world if they find you escaped, they'll drag you both back, and torture anyone who might know something. No one leaves here without them knowing you know that!"

"Brahman did. And so will we. I have a promise to keep. Hang on Soren we're coming for you."

"Whose Soren?"

"One of the three near the red dot. It's a fire, Soren and the other two are survivors from one of Yahweh's other universes. I don't know why they haven't ascend or been purged. He was able to contact Z using Dream waves. It only works with people who are open to those types of signals."

"Soren told you about this?"

"Yeah, how did you think we found about escaping? Brahman passed them onto Yahweh's planet. Earth right?" He asked Z.

Zia nodded, too intent to pay them both any mind. She had to escape, had to find Soren, and change her parents plans. It was all too much for a 16,000yr old to handle sometimes. But Zia would make due, she never broke promises and didn't intend to start now. 

"How do we get in?" Asked Zia after a few moments. 

"So we have to—"  
Nero abruptly stopped talking. He strained his hearing and heard his Father and someone else coming into the first room.

He turned to Zia and Draven, his eyes widened.

"Hide!" He hissed.

Vaatu rolled his eyes. 

"I've told you, I don't care how much you do Elohim. If she wants to marry Draven then I will sanction it, if not then well I'm sorry she's a stubborn girl."

He took the key from him robe. He stopped holding his hand up, the door had been unlocked recently. Vaatu placed the key back into his robe. Bringing a finger to his lips he slowly went into the room.

The room of Worlds looked immaculate as it should. Though on a closer inspection Vaatu saw that the logbook was hastily closed.

"Vaatu look." Elohim was pointing to earth. 

"There in the corner of the orb." 

"I can see it Elohim. I'm not blind." Snapped Vaatu as he stepped closer. He made the image bigger.

"It's a fire, what is a fire doing at the edge of Yahweh's universe? What the hell is he doing there?" 

He turned to Elohim for an explanation when movement caught his attention. Using his senses he reached out and pulled the thing toward him.

"Zia? What are doing here darling?"

"Let me go Father."

She glared up at him, her gaze turned to Elohim. Vaatu felt the familiar pain of his heart constricting at the smile that would appear on her face. A real true smile, a smile she never gave him.

Instead she scowled at him, her glare making him take a step back in surprise.

"Zia honey why are you angry at me? What have I done to you?"

"You know what you did. You little coward."

Vaatu's eyes widened.

"Zia! Your mother and I didn't I raise you to act like this."

"You're right. You didn't raise me. You both were to busy. Nero raised me, he always told me to go with my heart and speak my mind, even it wounds the people I love."

There was a soft click, and Nero emerged, ignoring them. He let go of Dravan's slowly. He clicked something on the holographic keyboard.

"That's why you refused to make a move on her. You were with him!" Elohim's eyes flashed.  
Draven glared back.

"Do your worst old man. I love him. I'm not letting him go."

"How dare you. How dare you take him!"

"Watch your tongue Elohim. That is my son your talking about." 

Nero's hands shook, his father was defending something he hated, because he loved him. Because he cared. It should make happy, but it only filled him with dread. His Father didn't do anything on impulse even when came to his children, especially then.

"That was my brother. I have a right to be angry. This whole thing could have been avoided if you hadn't sent him away."

The three children held their breath. No one talked to Vaatu like that even Raava. Elohim wasn't backing down, he glared at Vaatu the children seemingly forgotten. Vaatu stared back, his hands clenched.

"Don't you think I don't know that? Do think there's a day when I stop blaming myself? I had a choice to make, be selfish, or do what was right by our people. There's not a day when I don't wonder what he's doing. I couldn't lose her Elohim you know that."

"No, I don't. I saw you two, I heard him talk about you, he felt he had finally found an equal. He loved you, and you destroyed him. Humiliated him. Hurt him. Asherah at least never cut ties with him."

Vaatu moved pinning Elohim to the pillar. A dagger slid from his robes, ornate, beautiful, and a thousand times more deadly.

"Raava can't rule without balance this world would devolve into chaos. I can't do anything till it's time for chaos to rule. This is the promise, the oath I made to my father. To my people. I will not break it, not for anyone."

Vaatu let Elohim go and watched as he slid down the wall, coughing and rubbing his throat.

"Got it!" said Nero making Draven and Zia jump. They had forgotten he was there, they'd forgotten why they were here.

Vaatu and Elohim stared at them.

"Your going to escape to Yahweh's universe aren't you Son?"

There was no venom in his voice just a simple question.

"Yes."

Vaatu turned back to Elohim. 

"I can't break my promise, but there's no reason that I can't turn a blind eye. No reason I shouldn't be held up in some meeting and just didn't have time to check on this room till late."

Elohim just glared.

Nero stared in shock.

"You would do that for us? Why?"

Vaatu didn't answer the question. He pulled a faded envelope from the many layers of his robe. It was old, though the writing would never smudge.

"Give this to Yahweh. And please will both not read it? It's private, and I'm not comfortable with letting you both see that side of me just yet."

Nero took the envelope gingerly almost afraid it would burst into confetti.

"I will. Thank you father for your trust."

Vaatu nodded, giving him a side smile.

Zia moved closer to the holographic keyboard.

"Zia, this button opens a portal, but it needs a place to pinpoint us to. Can you connect to Soren and use him as an anchor for us?" 

Zia nodded it looked like she was miles away. She turned abruptly and ran and gave Vaatu a hug.

"I love you daddy. I want you to be happy, and if mother doesn't make you happy please promise me you'll be with someone that does. Okay?" She looked up at him her eyes shining. She gave him a sincere smile and he felt like his heart was about to burst.

"I will Babydoll I promise. I love you too."

As Zia moved away, Nero came toward him, Vaatu held out his arm. Nero stared at him for few minutes.

"18,000yrs. It's been 18,000yrs and you never told me. I don't blame you, I really don't. But I want you know that when I become Lord of Shadow I will change the rules, I will make it so people marry for love not status. I will marry Dravan."

"I hope you do my little Charm. I hope you conquer all your obstacles. I place my faith in you both, change the world for me. For yourself, for your children."

Zia closed her eyes for a few minutes, giving Nero time to say goodbye to Draven.

Nero turned to Elohim. 

"Don't it's not worth it, he won't change his mind. Will you Father?."

"Elohim, all I want to say is I love your son. And unlike my father my priority is to him, the people will understand."

"A good leader looks out for his people, is not selfish."

"What if a leader is selfish for the right reasons?"

"Every leader thinks that, show me you'll be different show me you understand balance. And then maybe you'll have a fighting chance. Good luck."

"Nero, Soren is ready but he can't hold it for long. We need to hurry."

Draven kissed Nero goodbye. He winked and tried to smile but his eyes held no laughter. Only sadness and dread. When Nero leaves so did his safety net, he would be caught between a literal rock and dynamite. He just didn't know which Vaatu or Elohim was.

Zia went first. Nero slowly made his way to the portal, at the last second Nero turned and pulled Dravan with him. 

Vaatu and Elohim (who had recovered by this point) tried to grab him back, but Dravan held on for dear life.

As the portal closed, something fell through back at them.

"Sorry Daddy!" called Zia. "But I can't have you following us and trying to monitor us, send mother our love! Make sure Mother is happy too!!

The portal closed and the stick of dynamite exploded destroying Yahweh's world. 

Vaatu and Elohim flew back hard against the wall. After a few minutes they both got up, Vaatu moved first and surveyed the wreckage. As Elohim came behind him, his voice was venomous, a hiss before the strick.

"Mark my words, you will never rise higher than what you are, you will not accumulate more wealth than what you have, and sure as hell won't have my son or daughter in your pocket. Draven isn't going to marry either of them, so help me, I will kill him. I will show him his mother's fate. My father was less lenient than I am, one misstep, even a rumor I destroy you, your legacy, your worlds, and your son. I'll tell him the real reason she died Elohim oh believe him I will. See to it that it doesn't come to that, and I'll make him my apprentice. He'll be Nero's closest advisor."

Vaatu didn't turn around to see Elohim's face. With a defiant swish of his robes he left the secret room. He didn't see Elohim's breakdown, didn't see how he slowly unraveled till he mirrored the carnage in the secret room around him.


	15. Chapter 15

Yahweh paced as Asherah sat and observed him. Aldonai watched as Brahman manipulated a few ants he had found. He changed their appearance, evolved them and then devolved them.

"Brahman stop playing with the ants. They can't evolve yet." Said Yahweh bracing his hands on table sending the ants scattering.

"Why? They're interesting. I might create something like that in my next one."

Yahweh sighed. 

"Unless you patented them?" Brahman said with a grin knowing Yahweh never did. He let the other gods build and evolve on some of his ideas. Namely his idea of humanity, it had been a hit spawning similar races from most of the younger gods.

This was the first world that the other gods had collaborated on him with, creating their people they want. But they didn't love them, they were experiments, nothing more.

Asherah sighed. "Something needs to be done about Michael and Samael. Helel has enough to deal with without them ganging up and hurting him."

"Yes why are they doing that?"

"They're angry they can't hurt me. So they go and hurt him. The symbol of my love. At least that's my guess Asherah and I have yet to actually speak to them. Every time we try they glare and walk away.

Which brings me to an interesting point, why did you let Michael and Samael take you? You are both Gods. You have power here, not as much Asherah and I but power nonetheless. Why let them think you've been subdued?"

Brahman smiled cruelly.

"I'm not sure why Aldonai did it. But I'll tell you why I did it. Why I came to the forsake place to begin with. Vaatu wants Jiva. I think he intends for her to marry Nero. I'm not sure. But I've heard rumors. I have to bring her home. Then I came upon your lovely children and I had a wonderful idea.—"

"You were going to catch them and bring them to Vaatu weren't you as a way to lure him or both of us out?" spoke up Asherah her silver eyes blazing.

"Wait to ruin the punch mi amore."

Yahweh oddly didn't react. He turned to Aldonai.

"And you why did you subject yourself to my children's ire?"

"They were taking Brahman somewhere, I was tasked with bringing him home. I went so I could follow where he went."

"That's not the only reason your here. Vaatu would have sent a Retriever or an Ascenion for that, he wouldn't have risked a fellow Exalted to get hurt."

Aldonai gulped. "They know about Amaro. They sent us to help."

Yahweh groaned. "I don't need their help. I don't want their help."

"You have no choice. You have to take it. Your weak your experiments have lost belief in you. It was foolish to make your strength be their belief and love in you."  
Said Brahman.

"I didn't think that at the time humanity would fall, that my angels would cease to love me. That Helel would go and ruin everything."

"He didn't. But that is neither here nor there. How are we actually going to defeat the dankness?" Aldonai asked leaning back in his chair.

"You heard Asherah tell them."

"You were serious? I thought you said that to shut them down. Give them a direction."

"I am serious. Till we find a better more reliable option we have to use this one."

"Reliable? Are you saying there is potential for instability?"

"Yes. This plan relies on humans, Angels, demons, and monsters all being united by love. If even one person is not on board the effect will break."

"And what do you hope to accomplish by this effect?" Asked Aldonai.

"Amaro is on this planet. If this place is united by love and not hate for each other than Amaro would find it unbearable. He would be forced to leave. Then you both can capture him and take him back to Vaatu."

"And if he manipulates the humans? If destroys the link what then?"

She shrugged. "I don't have an answer. When you become a God Aldonai you will learn that not everything can be planned out and managed. Sometimes you have to be prepared and hope for the best."

"Speaking of love what's this Soul-Bond I keep hearing about. Brahman asked Yahweh. Yahweh shrugged and pointed to asherah.

"That was you?"

"Don't look too shocked Brahamn you might pull something."

"Well? Come on my favorite sister-in-law tell me story!" 

"I'm your only sister-in-law."

Yahweh looked confused.

"What happened to Sheinkah?"

The other three occupants shared a look. They both looked at Aldonai sighed. He looked at Yahweh.

"She was terminated. I don't know why. It was a long time ago. It was in the beginning stages of Draven's life."

"How old is he now?" Asked Asherah. Unaware that Yahweh had shut down.

"20,000 I think. He just had his birthday. So maybe 21. I'd ask Elohim when you get back. Just to be sure."

Asherah nodded.

Brahamn looked at Yahweh's pinched and drawn face.

"Yahweh, friend what's wrong? Has Shekinah's termination hit you that hard? Surely not, it must be a shock but these things happen."

"You don't get it! It was because of me!"

The other Exalted quieted. Ashera's mind races trying to piece together what he was talking about. 

"You should explain before I give into temptation and call Elohim here." Aldonai's voice was quiet it made Yahweh flinch, it was so unlike his normal demure.

"You know the prophecy?"

"You mean that absurd legend?" Asked Brahamn. Asherah nodding.

"Wait, wait what absurd legend?"

Yahweh smiled and sat down keeping his attention on Aldonai. Aldonai felt his stomach twist in anticipation. Yahweh was any amazing story teller. He had forgotten that, but he was excited now.

"Long ago a prophecy was created. As we are created from the Sparks of light that escape a blackhole, this prophecy came to us from dying Suns and rising moons."

Aldonai rolled his eyes. He translated in his head. Dying Suns - supernovas. Rising moons - solar flare like waves across the sky.

"Okay sorry, go on."

"The prophecy states that one day someone will come who had the powers of the Ancients."

Aldonai's brow furrowed. The ancients were the ones that created them, had made it possible to animate light. A reborn Ancient was huge, that kind of power would made Raava's and Vaatu's power seem like child's play.

Yahweh continued. "Before I left Raava and Vaatu made their yearly pilgrimage to see the masses. One of the woman there was from Will O'Wisp Circle - the poorest place on our world. Anywhere she held up her son. He was a babe then, and she something that chilled us. "My son is the Ancient Reborn."

Aldonai interrupted then.

"Why would that be bad? That kind of power is good, it could help the world! Help everyone."

Yahweh looked at him confused, Brahman sniggered into his hand. Asherah simply shook her head a smile on her face.

"That kind of power would ruin us Aldonai. It would displace out power. A Reborn Ancient born from the poor, what if he advocates for equality? What if he wants to make so we share power with them?"

Aldonai stood up, his chair scrapping again the wood. Something in his chilled, this was not his brother. This was not the brother who would rock him to sleep with stories, who showed him the beauty in the ordinary. This was a stranger, a pretender.

"How could you say that? How can you say equality is bad? How can you say helping the poor is bad? You're the one who says for your children to help those that are less unfortunate."

"What I say and what I believe are two different things!! Aldonai, do you remember how we lived before?"

He shook his head.

"We were poor, our father riled on mom, Elohim and I to get us places. Mother would wake us up at a quarter to sunrise and make us practice our ability till we couldn't think. She almost killed me because I didn't remember how to change a leaf into water drop. You're on the council because of us, you have everything because of us - don't forget. If we lose our position because of this ancient we lose everything."

"Not necessarily, what if we help the child? What if we save him, show him that we're good? What happened to the child anyway?"

Yahweh looked down. "Vaatu, Raava, Shekinah, and I took the child and hid it. He's hidden in a cage in this universe. You see why he won't help us, yes?"

"How could you?! How could you! An innocent child. A child you had no right to - to — destroy!"

Aldonai spluttered, he wanted something tangible, something about this child he could use. He wanted to know this child. 

"What's his name Yahweh? If I were him, I would like there to be someone out there who hasn't forgotten me."

"His name is Cyrus."

Aldonai couldn't take it and vanished. Probably to cool off. Brahman shrugged at Yahweh and turned to Asherah.

"So tell me about Soul-Bonding."

"Yahweh created them to love him, I wanted them to not love each other. So I slipped a way for them to love each other in as well."

Brahman looked at Yahweh for clarity Yahweh rolled his eyes. "She wanted to give them a chance at true love."

"But I made it so that the ability of how to do it would only come to those who wanted it, searched for it. Angels are made for energy, they call it grace. When Angels soul-bond their graces meld like a lock and key, they stay connected. Giving them an added boost of energy and making them twice as strong."

Brahman smiled. "So who was the first to ask?"

"Raphael. The answer came to him in the form of a book in Yahweh's library, there by curbing the need for him to seek Yahweh's approval."

"She hid the ability from me. Before I could stop it, I saw how happy Raphael was. He was positively glowing. Then I could never bare to separate them."

Awhile later Brahman retired to go to his daughter. Now only asherah and Yahweh remained.

"Raphael wasn't the first." Said Asherah quietly.

"No he's not. But they don't count."

"Why?" Asked Asherah her eyes blazing.

Yahweh smiled ruefully.

"Because their love would have destroyed everything."


	16. Chapter 16

Zia fell hard from the portal. As she started to free fall through space she remembered the lessons of manipulation. 

Her tutor had told her some worlds had space, no gravity. There was nothing to stop you from endless wandering. She had tought her how to manipulate the world's space, any space to change into anything she wanted.

So as Zia fell she imagined a glass walkway, translucent but unbreakable. As she landed hard on the surface she also made it so as she walked any direction the walkway would extend for her.

Getting up she tried to find the fire. It was hard so many stars lighting up the inky blackness. She had heard that Yahweh loved stars so much that it bordered on excessive and obsessive.

Nero and Draven landed behind her. Draven in a crouch, quickly getting up to see the world. Nero Zia noted with an ounce of jealousy landed on his feet, his clothes unrubpled and calm, till he turned to her and scowled.

"Zia why would you do that? You could have killed him!"

Zia shook her head already bored with the conversation, with this nothingness.

"No it won't. The blast was concentrated to Yahweh's orb. It wouldn't destroy anyone else's."

"You and Soren cooked that up in one of your dream dates didn't you?" Asked Draven.

Zia looked away. Now she remembered why she had hated the girls who fawned over him. He was an asshole, and he knew how to break you if he wanted.

"It wasn't a date." Zia finally muttered. 

"So you did conspire to destroy a fellow Exalted's orb. Zia! We're trying to free our people we can't do that if we're excuted!"

"Do you think I don't know that? I had too, father would try and find us, destroy this world to find us. Or do you forget the other part of our plan? How we need Yahweh's help? How he's the only one our people will listen to!"

Her voice echoed back on itself through the nothingness.

Nero and her stood glaring at each other till Draven slipped his hand in Nero's and gently started to tug him away.

"Come on babe. You've made your point. If she doesn't want to listen then it's not on you."

"I would be careful with picking sides Draven. My brother doesn't play as fair as he should, nor does he care for those who get hurt in the process."

Nero glowered and then they were falling, tumbling over each other. Nero had lunged and pulled her along. He hit, she bit. Nails dug into his skin and blue and black marks erupted on hers.

They fell faster and faster till they crashed onto the ground.

The first thing they both felt was heat, slow and low heat. Turning they saw the campfire a few paces away. Both of them smiled and got up. As they ran toward it Draven moved to run instep with them.

"How did you get here so fast? My walkway doesn't work for assholes."

Draven ignored the barb, Nero started to run faster, gaining a lead.

"Why manipulate the space around you when you can manipulate yourself?"

Zia looked at him confused and he pointed to his feet. He was wearing anti-gravity shoes.

"They also can be used as running shoes."  
Draven said winking. Zia slowed and stopped staring at him.

"Why do you do that? Why do appear nice sometimes and rude others? Why didn't you defend me?"

Because that's why she asked, why did everyone around her think she was a child? Then she remembered not everyone did.

*Flashback*

"Your not a child Zia. Truly, I think you beautiful, strong, resilient, and quick-thinking. I am honored to have met you before I die. It would be one of the best highlights of my life." 

Soren whispered to her under the Starry Wind Chime Tree — the leaves looked like stars and sounded like chimes, hence the name. 

He held her tight. Her eyes closed as she let his words wash over her. The background noise of the chimes making her feel safe.

"You won't die Soren. I will come to save you. I will rescue than we can be together forever, no matter what the council says. I love you."

"I love you too, Snow"

*End Flashback*

"The reason I do it is because Nero needs me more than you do. You do see that he has just realized that Vaatu was secretly in a relationship with a man? That Vaatu didn't hate him. That his father loved him and trusted him, trusted both of you enough to change the world? That's a lot to handle. He can't do it alone. It's nothing personal Zia."

"Then he won't do it alone. He has me. Stop making him push me away Draven."

Draven turned to walk away, his face obscured by the dark.

"He won't open up to you. He still thinks of you as a child. He wants to protect you Zia. Which is why you have to trust me and let me help him. I know what I'm doing."

They didn't have time to argue then because they heard a shout coming from the direction of the fire. Exchanging a look they sprinted the rest of the way there. 

Nero was on the ground a knife pointed at his neck.

"Soren wait, don't hurt him! That's Nero."

The knife was taken from his neck and pocketed. The man turned to smile at her and shook his head.

"Your not Soren."

"No I'm not. I'm Cyrus. Soren went to get food."

"You get food here?"

"Yeah it's cruel. We get enough to get by, a fire enough not to feel cold and water enough not die. The only thing we get abundant is oxygen. Our Maker was feeling particularly cruel when he made this I presume."

"Cyrus stop being poetic. No one cares."

Said a man coming into the clearing and dropped a mangled rabbit near the fire and looked at him.

"We have company I was filling them in on our lifestyle."

"Company? Zia! Does that mean she's here?" 

Soren smiled a dazzling smile looking for her.

His eyes landed on Nero first. He was being helped up and fussed over by Draven. 

"I didn't know her brother was a fruit though." Before Zia had time to process it and shout Soren was on the ground.

He looked up in shock to see Draven over him. Soren felt his nose bleed.

"Watch yourself. We have power here, we control wether you live or die."

"You are not my maker."

"Really? Are sure? Have you met your maker?"

"I— no. I haven't."

"Soren are you alright?"

A girl's voice called up from the clearing. She came near the fire and Zia died inside. She was beautiful.

"Then how do you know I'm not your maker?"

"I—" 

With a smirk Draven used basic telekinesis and put out the stars, raised bits of trees and took away the oxygen.

As Soren, Cyrus and the girl started to choke, Draven leaned in and pulled Soren up by the shoulders.

"Am I your maker?"

Soren nodded feverishly.

With a snap of his fingers everything came back and the three of them gasped taking in deep breaths. 

Before Draven could enjoy his victory he was in chains. He turned to see Zia over him.

"He's not your maker Soren. He's just a spoiled brat."

"Zia." Said Nero in warning.

"Your not the only one who had power here Draven. So do I, and I won't you let hurt them. They are my responsibility and under my protection."

_"Oh how sweet to see true friendship."_

Everyone froze and looked at each other. Cyrus caught Zia's eye and pointed up.

They all turned to see darkness.

"Draven did you put the stars back?"

"yes. I did."

"Then what is it?"

"It's Amaro." Whispered the girl.

_"Yes it is I, well done princess."_

"I thought you got freed. Why come back to your prison? Why come back to us?" Asked Soren, his hunting knife clutched in his slightly shaking hand.

 _"Well because my sweets, your entertaining, and I love to play with you."_ His sickly sweet voice turned sinister then, revealing his true nature.

_"And because I felt the lovely presence of home here. I miss my home do you that princess? I had a family too, children. But no I was forced to be the Exalted's plaything. Forced to exist to serve Yahweh. He's terrible creator, an even worse maintainer. That's why I'm liberating his creation, I will show them blissful oblivion."_

"What's he talking about?" Asked Soren turning to Zia. 

Zia and Nero shared a look. Surely it wasn't that? He wasn't that stupid.

_"Do think I lack clarity daughter of Raava? Do you think I am being rash?"_

"If you go through with your plan than you will not be able to exist. You will die as well. You writing your own funeral."

_"Ah, you forget your tutoring. Remember I am nothing. I am darkness, I am the absence of life. I am void. I do not need anything to live."_

Zia took a step forward facing the sky. A hand came and caught wrist.

She turned to see Soren. He gave her a gentle smile.

"Zia, please don't. I only just met you, truly can touch you. I can't lose that. I can't loose my light."

Zia felt her eyes begin to prickle.

"Soren I have to. I have to save all of you." 

Without giving him any time to argue she moved away. And faced the dark sky.

"Show yourself. Face the Lady of Light."

_"The Lady of Light is not you. The title belongs to your mother."_

The voice chuckled at Zia's shocked face.

"Leave her alone. She did nothing wrong."

Zia spun to see the girl staring at the sky.

_"What's wrong princess do you feel neglected? I assure you you're not. You will always be my favorite."_

The darkness swirled and a white pupil looked out at them. The silver eye trained on the girl.

"Kiana leave it. If Zia wants suicide then let her choose suicide."

"Cyrus no. How many of our friends have died in his games? How many of been tortured to madness because of him! I won't lose another one."

Soren glared at Cyrus. Zia looked at him as well. Her face white. Cyrus shrugged. 

"Cyrus."

"Don't, don't you dare Soren. If one person saves four then they have an obligation to do that."

"To what end? When we both are dead, who will protect you?"

Cyrus had enough, his hands raised and Zia heard the twinkle of her dreams. 

"You don't scare me Cyrus. Your won't hurt me. I am the one who keeps you alive."

"You did, till our lovely rescuers arrived." 

Cyrus mouthed something to the girl who nodded. She looked grim as if she was resigned to this.

Zia got in the way blocking him.

"I won't you let hurt him Cyrus."

Something changed in Cyrus's face.

"Move out of the way Snow."

Soren stilled. He stared at Cyrus in rage.

Zia's mind whirled. It couldn't be. Soren had told he hadn't told anyone about their intimate moments. He had sworn with magic for her. But if it wasn't really Soren who hadn't been there... Surely Soren wasn't that devious? He wouldn't hurt her like that...would he?

"Prove it." She said finally. Cyrus lowered his arms the chiming died with it. Zia longed for that sound again, when it was simpler. When she felt heart was whole.

Cyrus opened his hand and a snowflake slowly spun in his hand.

"Soren name the object in my hand."

"Cyrus this is ridiculous."

"Do it." Zia damned as Soren turned to her in surprise.

Soren sighed. "It's an Icecrystal."

Cyrus shook his head with a smile. 

"It's a snowball. Zia showed you it when it snowed two years ago. You both built forts it was the first time you remember laughing."

Cyrus said looking at her. 

"Right snowball I remember now. I was just put on the spot."

Zia didn't even turn to look at Soren.

"Tell him the real name Cyrus."

"It's called a Snowflake and you didn't build forts Soren, the snow was too powdery for that. We made snow Angels."

_"Ah such a touching moment. But remember daughter of Raava they tricked you, they were going to sacrifice you."_

"Zia don't listen to him. He's trying to twist you. Cyrus was angry with Soren he would never let you get hurt." Cried Kiana.

"Shouldn't I be the one that says that?" 

"Shut the fuck up Cyrus, no one cares." Spit Soren.

"All of you be quiet."

They all turned to see Nero. His voice commanding, an air of confidence surrounding him. He turned to Zia, and nodded. She could speak for herself.

As she turned back to the starless sky. Something on Kiana's neck caught her eye.

The symbol of her mother's house. A sun. Why was she wearing that? It had the intricate weaving, everything that would suggest she hadn't just found it or made it.

As she looked harder she saw the birthmark. The shape of a star on her collarbone.  
Everyone knew the story, it was why no one left the planet unless authorized by the council. The story goes that long ago a child was born, a little girl. Beautiful and healthy. The apple of everyone's eye. The people rejoiced for the future Lady of Light had been born. Then suddenly she had been snatched, her light went out, the parents mourned for their lost little girl. The people screamed and cried for their lost light.

But the parents moved on and another child was born, a son. The future Lord of Shadow. Soon a daughter followed. The people opened their arms and accepted their new Lady of Light. But they held on hope that their wayward light would one day find her way back home. They would be saved, and the world would be in balance again.

Zia blinked it shouldn't be possible. But this day has been one impossible thing after the other. She tried to think about Amaro why he only called her princess, why he never used her name. 

She turned to Kiana.

"Can you do everything I ask? Say it as I tell you to, and please be confident."

Kiana rolled her eyes. "I exude confidence that won't be a problem. What do you want me to say first?"

"Ask him why he always calls you princess."

"I'm not sure I want to know the answer to that."

"Well I do."

"Kiana, please? My sister doesn't ask people to do something unless she thinks there's a reason for it. Trust her?"

Kiana looked between them and finally nodded at Zia. 

"Amaro, I have a question."

_"Finally, I was beginning to think that you had all forgotten about me."_

"Why do you call me princess, and never my name?"

_"Do you really want to know?"_

"Yes."

A tendril of darkness came from the sky toward them. They boys and Kiana got ready for an attack their weapons at the ready.

"No. Weapons down. He's giving us a straight answer, best not to antagonize him."

Cyrus and Nero had identical smiles of pride. Zia was finally being assertive. They caught each other eyes. Nero nodded at him and gave him a small smile.

"Kiana don't be afraid. Let him in. Can you do that for me?"

_"Remember princess. Come back to me Kiana."_

She nodded, dropping her weapon as the darkness touched her forehead she closed her eyes. 

There was a side of the story that the people didn't know that the parents never saw, love. The light, the daughter loved the darkness, the chaos nature of it. She yearning for life to be like that, ever changing an adventure. She loathed the stagnancy of her home, she longed to explore countless worlds and universes.

"I want to be free Amaro."

"Yahweh is taking me away. Come with me. Run away and be the queen of the stars."

Yahweh had found them and took her memories, shielding her in a protective cocoon. He didn't send her home. He was angry Vaatu had destroyed him, run him out. He would destroy Vaatu make him break as he had.

When he later imprisoned Amaro he gave the memories back.

"I give this to you Amaro. The cure to bring Kiana back to you. Knowing you have it, I now tell you your punishment. You will spend the remaining days of this universe locked in this prison, watching as Kiana lives and dies never knowing what she was destined to become."

Kiana blinked. She could feel herself falling. Amaro condensed and caught her.

His silver eyes boring into her. He searched her face for an ounce of recognition.

"We didn't have any children Amaro." She whispered into his shoulder.

"In my nightmares we did."

Nero reacted first.

"Do you recognize me as the Lord of Shadow?"

After a brief pause Amaro nodded.

"Then based on section 3 of the Book of Power I command you to not destroy this world, not yet."

"No. I do not comply. This universe will be purged."

As he rose Kiana reached out and slashed the back of his leg. He howled in rage.

"I'm sorry Amaro but your not the chaotic I fell in love with, and I'm certainly not the Exalted you promised will be the queen of the stars."

She turned to Cyrus.

"Cyrus can you and Zia get us out of here? Now!"

Cyrus and Zia moved toward each other without thinking. Holding hands they closed their eyes, reaching out through dreams to find a strong connection. Someone who was open, inviting.

"Do I know you?"

"No. What's your name?"

"Adam. Adam Milligan. Why?"

"Can you help us?"

"What do I have to do?"

"Let us in. Show us where you call home."


	17. Chapter 17

Michael and Samael occupied one of the tables in the Winchester library. Sam, Dean and Adam in another.

"You should talk to her Michael."

Samael sighed.

"If he does that one more time, I swear—"

"Hush Samael. The more he says it the more convinced I become in the opposite."

"Why Michael can't you see that she's trying?"

"No I don't see that. I see her trying to ease her own conscience."

"Michael Samael? I am due to return soon. I thought I'd at least say goodbye. And answer any questions."

"Michael ask her why she doesn't just leave."

Michael shook his head

"I would do anything to see my mother again, Michael."

Michael sighed. 

"Do you want to handle this Sammy?" He asked him.

Samael looked up from the book and smirked.

"Hell no. He's your boyfriend, you need to tell him."

Sam, and Dean looked at Adam shocked. Adam spluttered.

"I— he's not—I'm not gay."

Michael burst out laughing. Samael put the book fully down and watched.

Michael got up and continued to laugh. Turning to them. He smiled warmly, and it was all Samael could do not rejoice for he didn't see the commander of heaven, the good son. He saw his twin. He saw the angel he had grown up with and he smiled at having him back.

"My dear, sweet Adam. We are genderless. We have no form. We are made of light and laughter. You cannot be "gay" if you love an angel. However I warn you my human I can't reciprocate that."

It was all Samael could do to no light the room on fire.

"I— why can't you love me back? Am I not good enough for you? Everything we did in the cage, everything you showed me... Did that mean nothing?"

"Adam. Of course it meant something."

"Michael!"

Before Michael could turn. He already knew who it was, his grace spiked.

"Samael no! Leave him."

Samael had him more or less pinned to the wall. Gadreel's sword was the one thing stopping his death.

"Are you asking me as the commander of heaven or as my brother, my twin?"

Michael stared at him, cocking his head, he felt a hand slip into his own. For the first time in days he didn't pull away.

"Aren't they one in the same? Leave him."

"You claim not to have genders, but use the words why?" Sam asked.

"Sam shut up. Michael who is that?" Asked Adam. 

"Come on Prince. Leave them. Come with me. Let me show you the stars." 

Michael closed his eyes as he let the Morningstar's silver tongue soothe him. Samael watched in shock. 

Gadreel took the opportunity and moved, slashing he made the sword fall from samael's hand. Michael opened his eyes at the sound and stared in shock to see Samael on the ground glaring at Gadreel.

Lucifer kissed him on the cheek.

"Never say I didn't do anything for you Micha." He whispered.

Lucifer moved away and slowly took away Samael's sword from the ground. He held his hand out for Gadreel's sword. 

But Gadreel pocketed the sword instead and turned to him.

"Lucifer."

"Gadreel. Give me the sword, your going to kill him."

"No."

Lucifer rolled his eyes.

"I asked for you for him. Doesn't that make us even?"

Sam and Dean shared a look this wasn't going to end well.

Gadreel looked at him impassive and started to slowly walk away.

"You know I've come to the conclusion that you only tricked me because you knew you'd lose in a direct fight."

Lucifer lunged and Sam and Dean could finally see Gadreel in action. He was amazing. Making the fight look like a dance. 

He disarmed Lucifer throwing him against the wall.

"We will never be even Helel. You took everything from me. My position, Father's trust, my friends, my reputation. The one person who I loved above God. You made him impriosn me!"

Michael closed his eyes. Slowly he walked toward them. He wound his arms around Gadreel making him gasp.

"I was wrong. Do you forgive me Gadreel? Do you still love me as I do you?"

Sam shot a pitying glance at Adam who looked heartbroken.

Gadreel stiffened. He turned to meet Michael's eyes.

Lucifer took the opportunity. But before he could stop him, Gadreel spoke.

"I don't forgive you Michael I'm sorry. I put my faith in you and you walked away. I do still love you. I'm sorry."

Gadreel kissed him on the cheek. Lucifer froze. Michael hadn't moved, had he heard him?

As Gadreel left he gave Samael's sword back.

"I meant what I said. Take care of him Samael."

"Gadreel wait! How do I earn your forgiveness?"

"What would you sacrifice for us Michael?"

Michael didn't hesitate.

"Soul-Bond with me love."

The Angels froze. Asherah smiled.

"Forgive her. Talk to her Michael. Forgive your mother. And I'll soul-bond with you."

Michael sighed. 

"Hello mother. I know I haven't been kind to you. But that's because I don't understand how you leave your family. Why must you leave us again?"

"Before I answer you, do any of you have any other questions?"

"What's the council? Why do you let someone control you?"

Asherah pursed her lips. Yahweh sighed. "Asherah or I can't tell you about the council. You are not even supposed to know about it. It's against our orders to tell you."

Lucifer eyes narrowed. Samael looked to Michael he wasn't paying attention. He and Gadreel were talking in hushed tones, touching now and then. Samael smiled, good he was finally letting himself be happy.

"Well Father I'll find out one way or another. And Mother it was nice to see you. I'll be sure to pass on you love to Raphael, Gabriel, and Amitiel."

Lucifer stared at his parents for a long time. With a cruel smile their way he vanished. Samael sighed, letting him go by himself won't end well, he flew after his brother. Vowing to keep an eye on him.


	18. Chapter 18

Azrael pulled Abaddon along. The passage ahead was dark and dingy. The wails of sinners rang up thorough the walls.

But what else was one suspect from hell?

"Does it ever get to you?"

"The cries? No. They're calling for father not me. They all hate me."

"They don't know you."

"True."

Abaddon sighed and pulled her hand away from his. Forcing him to turn to her.

"Azrael where are we going? Why are we here? We have so many other things to deal with."

"Let Michael and Samael deal with the darkness. We have to deal with the Reapers."

Abaddon looked at him confused.

Azrael pulled her down a side tunnel into an opening. He tapped a pattern on the wall.

A boy of 15 poked his head out from a nearby hole.

"Papa? Mama! What do I owe the pleasure."

"Happy birthday Firecracker." Whispered Azrael.

Abaddon opened her arms. Asmodeous came into her arms.

"You didn't just bring me for reunion snowflake did you?"

"No." 

"Azrael, Abaddon lets get this over with."

"Stirring speech Kushiel." said Azrael turning around to see him standing in the opening of the tunnel.

"We need you to find Namaah chances are she's alive."

"Why?" 

"She's Death's daughter. If she claims the horsemen ring she controls the reapers and we can all avoid a war."

"What does this have to do with your son?"

Turing to Asmodeous Azrael nodded him. 

"It's time Asmodeous. Take back hell from that degenerate. Leave him and his angel alive though."

Asmodeous smiled and rubbed his hands a manic glint coming into them.

"Consider it done Papa."

Turning to Kushiel. Azrael smiled a dryly.

"You have a protégé yes? Now is your chance to get to her a place of power. For old times sake let me help you."

"As his bride?"

"Or advisor. I was going to let them sort it out."

"Alright. Asmodeous this is Belial. Treat with her respect."

Asmodeous and Belial nodded at each other.

"If I may father. What's the real reason? Why do we need Kushiel, you can find Namaah all on your own."

"Because he has something no other supernatural being possess."

"What's that?"

Kushiel smiled.

"The key to destroying God once and for all."


	19. Chapter 19

"Why am I betraying my teacher and you you're parents?" 

"Power is fleeting, so is status and money. The only thing that's stagnant is a legacy."

"Legacies change and get absorbed in other stories. They are not stagnant."

"As long as the story the legacy lives in some form so do you. As for why were betraying do you think Kushiel uses you?"

Belial paused. "Yes."

"My parents do as well. Let's turn the tables let's make our own legacies Belial."

She nodded a small smile emerging. 

"how do we go about doing that?"

"Like I said its all in legacies. God already gave us the answer. All of his stories have the same theme. What happened to Enoch and Elijah according to the humans?"

"They were exalted. Became Angels."

"Exactly! Which begs the question, who does God pray to when he needs help? Where does he come from?"

"What would you gain with that information?"

"We would gain power. We could bring God to his knees. Make him help hell."

"Only for hell? That seems like a small dream."

"Think if we could go to the stars, if we could have more demons, if we ruled space. How wonderful would it be?"

"If I'm going to help you, we're doing this as a team. We need to nor have any secrets between us ."

Asmodeous sighed, running a hand through his hair as he quickly paced - contemplating.

"Fine. If we have God we could be free. I could be angel. I could go with father. See heaven."

"You want to be an angel?"

"Yes. I do. Don't you?"

"I want to be treated with respect. I want to be free of obligations. Do you think he would grant us that?"

"Your goal seems more likely than mine. What demon has ever become an angel? None."

"If you follow the tenants of heaven, if you care for humanity, I'm sure he would consider it. Don't lose hope Asmodeous."


	20. Chapter 20

Amitiel walked alone. She didn't need her brothers to protect her. Chances were they were too distracted to even noticed she had left heaven.

As she came to the old factory she felt someone waiting for her. She just couldn't figure out who.

"You never let your guard down, do you?"

The voice sent a chill down her spine. It reminded of the kisses they had stole in the dark, in dying stars. It reminded her of letting go, letting him in without the prying eyes of Father, without her brothers judgments.

"Not anymore, no."

Kushiel stepped into the light and Amitiel forced herself to breath. He still looked beautiful. Like the day he looked when Father had found out, had punished him by damning him to whip souls in hell till judgment day. It had been the day she had fallen, when she decided to speak her truth.

She managed to swallow.

"Looks like hell hasn't even left a mark."

"No it hasn't. Don't you know it takes more than a few demons to leave a mark on my skin?" He said coming closer. His hand finding hers. They intertwined them, she sighed as he pulled her closer.

But she felt something else, someone else's grace. It woke her up. Forcing her into action.

She gently pushed him away. Disappointment crossed his face. He was definitely more expressive then before — the demons had made their mark, subtle as it was.

"Did someone come with you?"

Kushiel shook his head, his guard raised.

"I wouldn't have asked you here alone if I knew."

"Why does everyone keep trying to protect me?"

"Because you speak the truth for us and in others, you are our compass Amitiel. We have become a scared child without you. Won't you leas us out of the dark?"

Kushiel didn't speak. The voice came from the dark behind them.

She turned to the sound.

"If you want me to lead you I need to know who you are. Show yourself."

A man stepped out. He wore jeans and plaid shirt. His blue eyes blazing showing his beautiful wings.

"Durmiel? Brother why be so cryptic. I would have come if you'd asked me."

Durmiel turned to Kushiel an angel blade in his hand.

"I didn't come for you sister. It was him, this _traitor_ that I seek. Turing on heaven, on Father. What do you gain for your folly Kushiel?"

"I gain Redemption. I gain happiness. I gain _her_."

Amitiel rolled her eyes but she stayed silent.

Kushiel continued.

"I'm helping Dhuma. I'm saving heaven from another war."

"If Samael finds what your doing your dead. Not even her can protect you from that wrath."

Now Amitiel was intrigued.

"What is going on? Why would Sam be angry?"

"Kushiel plans to bring namaah back from the dead and make her take the role as horsemen. Saving the Winchesters from being lynched."

"You know about the Winchesters?"

Durmiel crossed his arms and quirked a smile.

"Yes. Of course."

Amitiel smiled.

"Come help us then. We'll need the help."

Durmiel's grace fluctuated. He shook his head.

"As for Kushiel I trust him. Let him continue."

"Amitiel. Please! See reason. Samael—"

"I can handle Samael, trust me Dhuma?"

Durmiel opened his mouth but closed it and nodded.

"Kushiel leave us." She was hurt, but she trusted him.

He looked at her for a moment, till he sighed and kissed her cheek. When the rustle of his wings had ceased Amitiel turned and looked at Durmiel.

"Will you tell me the real reason for not wanting to join the Winchesters now?"

Durmiel quirked a smile.

"You don't give up do you?"

"Durmiel."

He sighed.

"After you fell Michael tightened control. He and Raphael would forcibly rewire angels that had gone rouge or started to think for themselves. Castiel had it the worst. We... We were happily spending time in Egypt during Ramses reign when Raphael found out and destroyed him. He used Anna and Uriel as spies to keep him inline. Anyway, I tried to go to him but he didn't remember me. I can't see him like this, when he doesn't remember. But I'm so proud of him. Just keep an eye on him for me?"

Durmiel opened his wings ready to fly. She smiled she knew how to make him go.

"Why don't you? Castiel is there alone with Raphael. After Castiel killed him I don't think Raphael will think twice about hurting him."

Durmiel's eyes widened then his jaw set. He flew with a vengeance.

Once he was out of sight Amitiel sighed. She couldn't be necessarily that mad at Michael and Raphael. They had both lost so much, but to outright torture and break their brothers and sisters like that? To punish them for love? Amitiel shook her head, it wasn't right. She vowed that it wouldn't happen again, not while she was alive. She would save her brothers and sisters from her brothers whims.


	21. Chapter 21

Crowley was walking back to his kingdom. He felt as someone was watching him. It had been happening for a while. Ever since Aziraphale had come back Crowley had felt as if he was being followed.

Crowley vanished to his throne room, and right into an ambush. Asmodueous wasn't stupid he knew most of his demon kin wouldn't fight for him, but he had amassed a loyal team, training them for years for this. He had pulled out all the stops, slowly making Crowley paranoid had payed off - he'd come right where he wanted him. Phase one of plan was done. 

Now phase two.

Asmodeous stepped forward. Crowley narrowed his eyes. He didn't know who this demon was, but had pissed off the wrong King.

Crowley snapped his fingers with a smirk and demons started to attack him. Asmodous eyes turned silver - a mark of a  
Very powerful demon. He easily destroyed them all. Walking toward Crowley he took out his blade and put it on the nearby table.

"Crowley, do you know who I am?"

"No. But who ever you are—"

"Silence. I've been ordered to not kill you. But I need your throne."

"Well your going to have to break that promise sweetheart, because I'm not giving this up with a fight."

Asmodeous smiled. A chilling leer.

"Oh, I know. So I'm going to make it so that even if you do fight it'll be meaningless. I'm going to finish what Moose started."

Before Crowley to process what was happening. He was strapped down and being changed to by a human and being fed human blood. As he started to transition he started to pray. Not for himself but for protection.

"Aziraphale here me. My angel come save me!"

Crowley knew angels never usually took action for the prayers that were directed at him. But he also knew that not many humans knew of Aziraphale. He was hoping he would come and at least investigate out of curiosity.

With the last bit of effort he managed to scream, "Azira!!" Before losing consciousness.

Asmodous looked at the limp form of the former king of hell. He felt a wave of pity for him, but it had to be done, he was king — for however long it lasted.

"Is it done?" Said Belial coming from behind a pillar. She was wearing a breezy dress today he'd been staring to notice things like this. He was going insane. He shook himself now was not the time.

"Yeah. It is. Nice idea. I don't know how true it is to God but it is good by human standards. After all he now has another chance at life."

"You did good Asmodeous." He closed his eyes. He had never gotten that, presents, things anything he'd wanted it. But he didn't have encouragement. He never had someone believe in him. He felt like he was flying. Was this what it was like to be an angel? If so it was better than his imagination.

"We should lay him out. Let this Azira person come find him."

"Do you know who that is?"

He shook his head. 

"Father might. But I think asking him is too much of a risk."

Belial nodded and motioned to the body. He nodded. And together they picked it up and put in the most neutral place between Heaven and Hell — The Winchester Bunker. 

Michael, Gadreel and Yahweh were the only ones there when Aziraphale came barging in. 

Michael moved from laying his head on Gadreel's lap to standing. He raised an eyebrow at Aziraphale's frantic state.

"What is it brother? Calm yourself."

Aziraphale didn't seem to hear him, he was to busy crying over a body. Michael realized that it wasn't just some body. It was the body of Crowley, the King of Hell — Aziraphale's mate. He was way out of his depth, the relationships and Soul-Bonding aspects of Heaven had been dealt with Raphael. Raphael however was enjoying a much needed week-long vacation in heaven with Azazel. The last thing Michael wanted was to disturb him. 

Michael slowly bent down to Aziraphale's level, he couldn't imagine what he was feeling. Raphael had shut down after Azazel, acting on instinct and scaring the fledglings and other Angels half to death with his anger. It was struggle for even Michael to control him when he got like that. It took a long time before Raphael even opened up to him. Coincidently it had been around the time of the apocalypse — another reason Raphael had been hellbent on freeing him.

From what Michael understood about soul-bonding was that when two angels soul-bonded it connected them on ever level, from the smallest grace of their being to their physical touch. It felt like Father's love and fire every single time they touched. Angels that had been doing it for a while could learn to control the sensations, making it so they could partake in heaven again. 

Raphael had told him how he never let himself indulge in that from the very beginning. He was an archangel he always had work to do. But the first time he soul-bonded when they did ritual Raphael set aside a few days to let it sink in.

Raphael had also told him that if a Soul-Bond severed wether from death or from mutual willingness to end it, that the pain never lessened, it was constant. It was always there. Raphael had said that the pain he had felt to not having Azazel next him was nothing compared to when he actually died.

Michael knew that Raphael tried hard to not kill the Winchesters every time he saw them but it was hard, all he saw was Dean pull the trigger and next felt the worst type of pain, worse than ripped wings — Michael knew because Raphael and Helel had compared notes.

Suddenly the body shuddered bringing Michael out of his reverie. Gadreel came to kneel next to him, his hand slightly grazing his. Michael couldn't think of this feeling getting better, it already threatened to overwhelm him. He was waiting for his vacation, which all his brothers and sisters had forced him to take. Thankfully Gadreel hadn't pressed him. He had just been happy to be next him.

"Crowley?" 

The body shuddered awake. It turned his head to see Aziraphale.

"Are you Aziraphale? Are you my angel?"

"Oh Crowley! What happened? Who did this to you? I'll kill them!"

Michael couldn't blame Aziraphale's reaction if it had been Gadreel he would have done the same, but Gadreel had taken care of Theddeus. 

"Azira no! Don't kill them. It's not the godly way."

Aziraphale paused and looked at Crowley his glasses cracking as his grace blazed.

Michael suddenly felt cold. He looked to see Gadreel making his way to Aziraphale, murmuring something and then holding him as Aziraphale sobbed. Michael's grace swelled with love and pride for him.

"Aziraphale, have I done something wrong? I'm sorry if I have."

Aziraphale sobbed harder into Gadreel's shoulder.

"Aziraphale worry not my son, for I will help you."

Father came down the stairs and layed a hand on the bewildered human.

Michael grew still. He knew that grace, it had been so long, it felt so familiar. Slowly Aziraphale stopped sobbing and shaking.

"Sarchiel?"

Asmodous and Belial had "consummated" their "marriage" cementing themselves as the king and queen of hell. 

Asmoduos kissed her bare stomach, gently nipping it, eliciting a giggle from her, he felt butterflies well up inside him. 

He remembered with clarity what had happened after the body, after they'd come home. The demons had bowed and demanded they consummate their union. After being ushered into a lavish bedroom. He locked the door behind them, leaning on it.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to. Belial I'm not going to force you."

Most of Asmodeous resolved had died when he came back into the room dressing in the sexiest lingerie he had ever seen. The rest of it died when she said with a smile.

"Well are you coming? I'm not going to wait forever."

Asmodous smiled into her skin remembering the sound of tearing cloth, of her gasps. Feeling her nails on his skin, hearing her scream his name.

"I love you, Asmodeous." She whispered half asleep. It felt like a shock wave went through his body even though she had said it so quietly. Suddenly he knew what heaven felt like.

"I love you too, Belial." He whispered back. She could hear the smile in his voice. She burrowed into the pillows. She felt his hand trail down her spine, feather light. She kept herself still, smiling.

It had made her so happy when he had listened to her. When he had taken her seriously when so many people including Kushiel had written her off as delusional. She felt free when she was with him.

"I know you're awake." He said nipping hard onto her neck.

"Hmmm, fine I am. Shall we go see if our experiment is a success?"

Asmodeous nodded and they changed and whooshed off to the bunker.

As Asmodeous arrived he could feel the grace of a very powerful archangel. As Asmodeous came into the room he felt a bolt of terror run through him. It was Michael. The most powerful angel in all of existence, and he was staring right at him. But it shouldn't have been Michael he worried about, Aziraphale spotted him just as Belial came next to him.

"You! You did this to him. You changed him."

As Aziraphale lunged Belial being as suave as she was said to Asmodeous.

"So I take our experiment worked then?"

"You— you did this on purpose?"

"Yes, we banked on the fact that God would try to make amends for what he did in the past. That's what the rumors are saying anyway. How he feels regretful for his prior actions."

Aziraphale stared at them for a few moments and proceed to the surprise of everyone except maybe Sarchiel to hug them.

"Thanks for bring me back. I still hate what you did to me though. You'll both a great King and Queen of Hell." Said Sarichiel using one of his hands to shake Asmodeous and Belial's hands. The other held a scotch.

Aziraphale turned to Michael.

"May we take a vacation? I just —"

"Yes. You've earned it brother." Michael said with a smile.

Aziraphale thanked him with a hug as well. He all but tackled Gadreel.

"Welcome back Gadreel. You're going to love soul-bonding it is amazing!" He whispered into Gadreel's ear making him blush.

Aziraphale turned to Sarchiel.

"Shall we my dear?"

"We shall, Luv."

"Send my apologies to Squirrel and Moose for me Asmodeous?" Said Sarchiel in afterthought to Asmodeous.

When Asmodeous nodded, they both unfurled their wings and flew away.

Michael turned to from smirking at Gadreel to Asmodeous. A kind smile on his face.

It instantly relaxed him.

"I look forward to working with the king and queen of hell." He drew his hand and Asmodeous and Belial took turns shaking it.

"So do you both still want to be Angels?"

Asked a voice from second floor.

Asmodeous and Belial turned to each other. They both didn't really, not anymore. Not when they had both found heaven and freedom in each other.

"No. We thank you for the gift but we have found heaven and freedom  
in each other."

The voice smiled down on them. It made them all glow, Michael smiled as he unfurled his wings to go to the voice.

"Michael wait!"

Michael turned to look down at Belial.

"It's Kushiel he has something that could destroy God."

Michael knit his eyebrows, his face going dark.

"Anything else Belial?"

"I don't know how important this is, but it's all I know. He's attempting to bring back or find someone named Naamah. Do you know who that is?"

Michael's eyes flashed in alarm. Thankfully Samael was elsewhere. He would find Kushiel first and figure out what this device is that could destroy Father, then he would save Naamah.

"Do you know why?"

"Azrael and Abaddon wanted Naamah alive so she could take up her Father's mantle and stop any reapers from going after the Winchesters, thus avoiding a war between Angels and reapers."

"She never wanted that job, she wanted to be free." Michael murmured to himself. He looked at them and nodded a thank you.

He turned to Gadreel with a smile.

"Fancy going on an adventure with me?" 

Gadreel smiled. "I would love to."

As they both flew away. Belial took Asmodeous hand and smiled at him.

"Well my king shall we see how our kingdom is doing?"

"Yes my queen we shall." They vanished still smiling at each other.

"So what does this Kushiel have that could destroy you?" Asked Brahamn appearing behind him.

Yahweh sighed. "He knows about the council."

"Aldonai?" Asked Brahman with a raised eyebrow.

"Aldonai." Yahweh confirmed with a nod.

"You know what you have to do right?" Asked Brahman.

"Kill him or send him someplace where he can't get in the way."

"Yes. Before Vaatu finds out and terminates him."

"I'm doing this to save him." Yahweh murmured to himself. He tried to say it again, but he chocked on the words. It possibly couldn't get any worse he thought ominously.


	22. Chapter 22

Dean and Sam had taken Adam on a road trip to get away from all the angel craziness. It had been quiet so far, oddly.

As they all stopped at a bed and breakfast Castiel came to meet them.

"He Cass what's up?" Asked Sam getting out of the car first.

Castiel smiled at him and proceeded to stare at Dean till he sighed and looked at him.

"Yes Cass?"

"It's Crowley. He's been changed into an human then Father made him an angel." 

"Crowley's an angel? Seriously!" Asked Dean spinning around dropping his bags. Adam moved as well coming to stand near Sam and listened.

"Yes. He was always one Dean, technically. He just became a human then a demon first. Aziraphale must have followed him that whole time to keep him safe."

"He became a demon." Dean deadpaned at him.

"He's still alive." Castiel countered. 

Sam rolled his eyes. Just as they all heard a crash come from the valley near by.

They all looked at each other. Then ran to the Impala and floored it the crash site.

The tires squealed to a halt creating sparks. They all got out. Castiel vanishing in a rustle of wings to the creator.

"Was it a meteor?" Asked Sam.

"No I don't know—"

Castiel didn't get to finish before the rubble cleared and a hand shot out followed by face. The face a young girl, about 16 or so.

"Zia!" Called Adam surprising the brothers and angel. He ran into the rubble and pulled her out.

"Adam?" She choked.

"Yeah it's me. Where's the others. Where's Cyrus?"

"Adam who is she?" Adam turned and glared at Dean.

Zia coughed.  
"Help me Adam. I can't do anything from here."

As she got up onto the land with the boys. Sam gave her a bottle of water. She stared at it and then looked at him.

Adam grabbed it and opened it for her, he motioned to tip his head and let the water fall in his mouth. 

She did as she saw almost chocking on the water by drinking too much the first time. She took a smaller sip and was able to breathe.

Before she could move Castiel pulled the rest out of the way. Cyrus wrenching away to come to her. She pulled him into a hug.

"Your okay. Oh thank The Ancients."

He pulled away, still holding her.

"What's The Ancients?" 

Zia caught Nero's eye as he moved up toward them. He shook his head. 

Turning back to Cyrus, she smiled.

"It's the people we believe to have given us life. We—"

"It's not a belief." Said Kiana coming to them. She looked perfect Zia wanted to hit her.

"What?"

She stretched, making Dean lick his lips.

"You heard me. Mother has proof. There's a hall, Called the Anient's Hall. When you get old enough Mother's acolytes and her protégé are taken there and they are shown how order helped the Ancients stabilized the light to sustain life. Or that's at least what I heard." Kiana shrugged at Zia stared at her. Glaring.

"Your related?" Dean finally asked looking between them.

"Hard to believe isn't it?" Asked Zia ruefully.

Sam jumped in. "No I can see the resemblance, your both beautiful."

Zia smiled at him and took his hand to stand up. "Thanks."

Cyrus glared at Kiana making her roll her eyes at him.

"What about your Father?" asked Draven quietly touching Nero's hand.

"Huh?"

Draven sighed. "What about your Father? What does it mean to be the Lord of Shadow?"

Nero shrugged he honesty didn't care.

Kiana whirled on him from tending to Soren. Her long hair spilling behind her.

"You don't know?"

Nero glared at her. "I do. But you don't need to know. Only The Lord's Sentinels and the Lord himself need to. Or have you forgotten that?"

Kiana flinched away. Nero came and gave Zia a hug. She smiled smugly at Kiana's back.

"Nero do you still have it?" Draven's eyes widened remembering Vaatu's possible gift, likely curse.

He patted his pockets then nodded.

Castiel ignore all of them except Soren. There was something familiar about him.

"Who are you?"

Soren smiled from the ground. "I'm Soren. What and who are you?"

"I am Castiel an angel of the lord."

"Whose the lord?"

"My Father, God."

Soren turned serious, and slowly got up and looked at him. 

"Would this Father also be known as The Maker?"

Castiel cocked his head. "I am unsure."

"Well do you know someone who might?" Asked Soren all but snapping.

Castiel quickly ran through the list of archangels and settled on the least likely to kill them on sight.

"Yes. I might. Wait here."

Castiel flew away. As the 6 people gasped.

"What? What happened?" Asked Adam concerned to Zia.

"His wings, they're in tatters."

"You can see them?"

"Yes. We're not like you Adam. We're not human."

"I'll say". Said a man as Sam and Dean groaned.

"Trickster." Said Dean seething.

"What's up pork chop?" Dean glared at him.

Gabriel turned to Castiel. 

"So where is the one who said Maker?"

Castiel pointed at Soren.

As Gabriel came to him Zia got in his way.

"Wait I know this an odd request. But can we see your wings?"

"You're right that's an odd request. And no you can't."

Said Gabriel pushing past her. Cyrus touched his arm. 

"Please." Gabriel pulled away. His eyes widened and went from Cyrus to Soren.

He sighed and turned to Castiel.

"You seriously know how to ruin a guy's day don't you?"

"Where are you going Brother?"

"To get Raphael. He'll never forgive me if I don't show him this first. And he's going to be pissed I interrupted his vacation."

"Vacation? Aren't you guys supposed to be fighting the darkness?" Asked Dean glaring at him.

Gabriel shrugged. "Yeah when it shows up. We're not going after it, we're archangels not suicidal."

"The Darkness do you mean Amaro?" Kiana asked. Causing Gabriel to still. His eyes narrowed.

"How do you know that? Who are you?" Wait never mind don't answer that, not yet. Just wait here."

He sighed and unfurled his wings causing them to gasp again. He grinned and waved them.

"Right? Aren't they awesome? Hold on I'll be right back."

He vanished. Coming back with Raphael in tow who didn't look at all happy to be there. Seeing the Winchesters his glare deepened.

"Why am I here Gabriel? Castiel seems to be fine. And if it's for the mud monkeys you know they're other healers, or Rita Zien who would gladly help." He said with a half-smile.

"Look I'm sorry to ruin your Vay-Cay but this is way more imprortant." At Raphael's look. Gabriel grinned. "Yes even more important than your precious Aza."

Raphael quirked a smile and blushed slightly. Gently pulling away he looked around.

"You do know if he was here he would hurt you for saying that right?"

Gabriel chuckled and gave him a one armed hug. 

"Yes I know how he only lets you call him that."

"I'm so confused." Said Dean watching them.

Gabriel turned to Raphael who nodded and started to look around purposefully not paying them any attention.

"That's the real Raphael. He's kind, gentle, and quiet. He loves his siblings and is one of the most patient Angels I know." 

Castiel smiled as Raphael shook his head and blinked away the tears. 

"Now do you see why it was hard for me to get involved in the civil war Dean? He wasn't just any angel, everyone knew him. Yes war changed him but he was still my big brother.  
Would still be the brother that had fixed my wings when I was a fledging and held me when I cried."

Raphael's smile widened. He gently touched Castiel's arm sending him feelings of pride, comfort, and love.

"Thank you little brother. You've done well for heaven since our absence. Now why am I here Trickster?"

"You call him that too?" Asked Sam incredulously.

Raphael blinked. "That is his nickname from before. Why do call him that?" His eyes narrowing.

Gabriel quickly got in the way.

"Okay anyway, you," he said pointing at Cyrus, "touch Raphael on his arm."

Cyrus did as told sharing a confused look with Raphael. Till he touched his wrist. Raphael shot away. 

"What the—"

"Exactly! That's why I called you."

Raphael turned to Soren. 

"Do you remember you're home? Do you remember The Maker?"

"I've never met him. But my home was dry, red. That's all I remember."

Raphael's eyes widened. 

He spoke fast and low in enochian to Gabriel and then vanished, Castiel looked confused.  
Gabriel clapped his hands and looked at Soren.

"Alright Soren fancy meeting you're maker?"

Raphael appeared in his room in heaven and started to search for something.

"Azazel did you take it?" He called. Azazel appeared behind him. 

"What are you talking about Raphi?"

Raphael rolled his eyes.

"The book? The book about the all the worlds father created." Raphael said, slowly as if he was speaking to a fledging.

"Oh!" Azazel went to the den and picked up the book from the coffee table, rolling his eyes at Raphael.

"Here." As Raphael reached for it, Azazel pulled it away.

"I would appreciate if you don't talk me a fledging."

"Azazel I don't have ti—"

"Make time then! I'm more important."

Than the Winchester? Than the archangels? Than God? Azazel didn't know, he just knew that it shouldn't be this hard, they shouldn't have to fight all time, go to counseling. They should just click, unless they'd changed too much for even the soul-bond to work?

Raphael sighed and pulled him closer. This wasn't the reaction Azazel had expected, he stiffened under the touch.

"I know. You are more important. It's just I've been there my whole life, been needed taking care of things. Especially after the war."

Azazel went ridged. Raphael continued to whisper into his ear, his voice soothing.

"I'm not blaming you Aza. I'm just telling you, so you know. It's hard for me to step back and relax. It's not your fault I just —"

Raphael's voice broke he began to shake. He buried his head into Azazel's shoulder. This Azazel understood, this he could handle.

"Shh, Raphael it's okay. I forgive you, I'm sorry I was angry. I'm sorry."

Raphael sniffed and kissed him. Azazel smiled and pulled him closer.

"We should go and find Father. It's important." Raphael stopped and smiled sheepishly. 

Azazel winked at him and quickly tickled him making him giggle.

"You owe me so much tonight."

Raphael smiled and nodded. They vanished and reappeared just as Nero was giving an envelope to father.

"Yahweh" said Nero swallowing. "This is for you, Vaatu gave it to me."

Yahweh took it from him gingerly. He eyed it warily. Finally opening it only for the seal to turn red and start to glow.

Yahweh sighed. He didn't seem at all surprised but Aldonai and Brahman did. So Yahweh explained.

"There was a signal in the letter, so whenever it was opened it would send a signal back to Vaatu of its location. And I'm assuming here, but Vaatu probably made it indestructible, so the signal can't be destroyed."

"What does that mean?" Asked Helel coming out of nowhere.

Yahweh smiled a strained smile. 

"It means my little star, that you're about to meet the council."


	23. Chapter 23

Asherah put her bags on the floor and lay back on her bed. She closed her eyes, her mind replying Michael's question again and again.

She heard a knock on her door. She stood up, sighed, and opened the door to reveal Elohim.

"Elohim? What do I owe this pleasure?"

"Asherah. It's Draven he escaped with Nero and Zia a few weeks ago. They went to Yahweh's world. Please tell me you saw them."

"What? No I didn't see them. Oh Elohim are you alright? How is Raava and Vaatu? They must be beside themselves with grief."

Elohim waved a dismissive hand.

"They're fine. They're—"

"Elohim, I hope you're not disturbing Asherah? After all, she's had such a long journey."

Vaatu said quietly from the doorway. He dipped his head in acknowledgement at her. Then his eyes stayed trained on Elohim who sprang up from her bed. He look terrified. Asherah narrowed her eyes looking between them. 

There was something Elohim wasn't telling her. Vaatu was watching him like a leviathan playing with an angel. Like he was prey and he couldn't be bothered to kill it but it was too entertaining to ignore. Asherah shivered she would never understand what Yahweh saw in someone so volatile.

"Vaatu are you and Raava alright? Elohim told me everything."

Now it was Vaatu's turn to narrow his eyes, "Everything?"

"No Vaatu, just the general idea. I—"

"Elohim shut up and go away...Now!"

Elohim shot Asherah a look and quickly walked away and closed the door.

"Your going to have to ask Raava what she feels, she won't talk to me, not anymore."

Vaatu sighed and sat on her bed. Leaning back he closed his eyes. Asherah sighed, this is why she left. She hated being every Exalted's unofficial therapist.

But she sat next to him anyway. "Is this recent?" 

Vaatu opened his eyes and looked at her. He smiled. 

"Yes. This recent one is. Not that it's improved much since he left." Vaatu got and moved, he could never sit still when Yahweh was concerned Asherah noted.

"What do want to know about him?"

"Know? Nothing. I want... This to be over. I'm so close to just leaving. I would if weren't for our children. I can't go on like this, being alone, it's killing me."

He turned to look at her and she saw everything in his eyes. All the hurt and anger he hid from Raava and his Sentinels originating from Yahweh to all the recent problems Asherah presumed with Raava. 

Asherah didn't know what to do, so she did only thing she could think of— she crossed the room and hugged him. Totally going against the protocol. 

Vaatu stiffened for a long time till finally he moved and held Asherah. He sobbed into her shoulder.

After a few minutes he pulled himself away and looked at her.

"I can see why Yahweh fell for you. You're very good in stressful situations. But please refrain from hugging me again in the future okay?" He said giving her his best sly grin it didn't quite reach his eyes.

She smiled back gently. "Isn't Raava lonely as well? Or has she?"

She let the question hang as Vaatu shook his head.

"No she's not, she has lovers or is letting me believe that she does. She thinks I let our children get away."

Asherah couldn't resist in hurting him.

"And did you?"

"No. I would never do such a heinous act." Asherah marveled at how quickly Vaatu pulled it together. She couldn't tell if he was lying.

Then it didn't matter as alarms started to sound around the palace.

An ascension came running toward them, giving Vaatu a screen to look at.

Vaatu looked at it briefly, then back up at Asherah positively beaming.

"It's Yahweh. He opened the letter, I know where our children are!"

He turned and told the ascension to notify Elohim and Raava and to get a ship ready for them all, they were departing immediately for Earth.

He turned back and paused at Asherah's face.

"What letter Vaatu?"

She looked pissed.

He smiled and swallowed.

"I'll explain on the way, come Asherah we don't have time."

Asherah took Vaatu's outstretched hand and they raced down the corridors to the ready and waiting ship.


	24. Chapter 24

"Thank you." Zia said quietly to Cyrus. They were outside near the bunker looking at the stars.

"For what Snow?"

"For being there for me."

"Can I ask you something? It's personal."

Cyrus looked away from the stars to see Zia. He caught his breath. She was beautiful. Zia threw her head back and laughed.

"Cyrus you know everything about me. But go ahead. What is you're question?"

"Why do you and Kiana hate each other?"

Zia sighed. "I know it seems like that, but I can tell we love each other. It's just where I come from the title is passed down hereditarily. So there can only be one Lady of Light and one Lord of Shadow. All the others are terminated."

"What are you saying Zia?" Asked Cyrus slowly, facing her.

Zia gave him a tight smile.

"I'm saying that Cyrus my parents can have only two kids. One boy and one girl, they have children till that happens. So for example if they need a girl because they already have a boy — they have children till that happens, any boys that are born are terminated to avoid competition for the title." She paused her smile wavering. She whispered.

"I wasn't supposed to be born Cyrus and Kiana knows it. She loves me but she doesn't want me to take everything she trained for. For me it's the opposite. I have a plan. She ran away that's on her, when she ran away she gave up her claim to it. I've trained so long for this, I'm going to change things for me, you, Nero, our people, and the Choatics. The only reason Amaro is acting out is because he is allowed to be treated like a slave when he's not. He's a creature of the dark, he's sentient and deserves to be treated as such."

"So your telling me for either of you to take this title the other needs to die?" Cyrus asked after a few minutes.

"Yes Cyrus. That's exactly what I'm saying. It can't be helped it's Protocol."

"Well it's not going to be you — screw Protocol. Kiana I care about, but you. You I can't lose. I won't. So how do we win?" He asked fire coming to his eyes.

Zia almost cried at his determination.

"We can't do anything. If we kill her or make her abdicate it'll be labeled as foul play. We can only wait for my parents and the council's judgment."

Cyrus pulled her close and kissed her gently on the lips. It was the first kiss they had shared in person, and as a couple — without any secrets or glamours.

Cyrus pulled away and smiled at her.

"Well why are we sitting here moping? Let's live it up before this council comes. Chances are we won't be able to stay together after that. So shall we explore Yahweh's creation my love?"

Zia blushed at the speech but grinned widely. 

"Yes we shall my Prince. Let's go on an adventure."

Meanwhile, Kiana and Soren sat inside with Yahweh and Dean.

"Wait let me get this straight Soren is a Martian? Seriously?"

Yahweh sighed, "Yes Dean. But I found out that I had made the planet too hot to sustain life there, but I didn't have the heart to kill him. So I put him in the same place I kept Kiana."

"You mean the same prison." Said Kiana. Yahweh flinched.

"When I become the Lady of Light I'll make you pay. I'll punish the Choatics. They'll learn to never cross an Exalted. And you! I'll make sure you understand what it feels like to rot in prison."

Kiana stood up and walked down to one of the rooms. Soren hurrying after her. He threw a glare at Dean.

"Watch yourself human. I was here first, I won't let you take my Maker away." 

Dean rolled his eyes, "Do all your creations hate each other?" 

"Well there's never been more than one sentient species at a time till this world so I wouldn't know."

Dean looked at him incredulously. Yahweh shrugged.

"Yahweh." Said Nero with Draven coming behind him.

"I know how to kill Amaro, or at least cage him again. The Council has created a weapon to control Choatics."

Yahweh stared at him and raised an eyebrow.

"You want something, what is it?"

Nero smiled. "I want your help in overthrowing the council and helping establish a new order, one where people get a say."

Yahweh's eyebrows shot up and he smiled. Finally he could save his world. After he had been kicked out, he had quickly taken Cyrus away to save him from Shekinah and Raava's termination plan. He had told Aldonai a lie, he couldn't risk anyone knowing his plan and sabotaging everything he had worked for. 

"Consider it done Nero. I'll swear on anything you want to make it official. So tell how do we neutralize Amaro?"

"It's a sword dipped in Ancient blood and laced with magic from both the Lady of Light and Lord of Shadow."

Yahweh held out his hand and Nero shook his hand. Finally he could free his people. Finally he could end his parents tyranny.


	25. Chapter 25

Yahweh made his way to his safe, he extracted Becky from it. He put her there after he had gotten Vaatu's message to keep her safe, to keep her alive. He wished he could do something after he had seen how his archangels had treated her, as if she was invisible, as if she wasn't important. But this was for the best, his sons didn't trust him anymore, if he chose them over humanity again they'd never comeback.

Yahweh shook his heads to clear the cobweb of thoughts. He looked out on the lush and green expanse and called out tentatively,

"Becky?"

"Chuck! It's so beautiful here!"

"Yeah it is." Yahweh said awkwardly, his mind swirling with battling thoughts of Asherah and Vaatu. He only came here out of respect to his past human life, to finish what he started. 

"So, do you want to talk about anything?"

Becky sprang up, from the ground. Moving away from the eternal campfire.

"I want to talk about the archangels. Tell me why you really left, tell me why you're back. Tell me what you really think of your sons."

Unbeknownst to Yahweh, Aldonai had set up with the help of Becky a channel from this prison to the archangels in heaven, much like a telelphone They all gathered around their receiver to hear their Father's thoughts. Becky's mic and receiver were in her jewelry so as to not arouse suspicion.

Yahweh sighed, "That's a lofty request, but alright. I'll try and answer them. I left because I couldn't take the treachery. I couldn't take the backstabbing. I left because my children disappointed me."

Yahweh let that sink in. After a few minutes Becky nodded. So Yahweh continued.

"I'm back because I'm being forced too. I didn't want to come back, but if I don't my universe die as do its inhabitants." 

He took less time to pause before he was again talking.

"I think my sons are amazing. I think Michael could work on becoming more relaxed. I think Samael could work on becoming more open to new ideas, and Lucifer on new perspectives and ideas. I feel sorry for how Raphael and Gabriel were treated. And I'm sorry for how I treated Amitiel. I am happy though that Raphael is with Azazel, and showing Michael what's it like to be in a relationship. I'm very proud of Michael for finally getting up the courage to let himself be happy, to let Gadreel back into his life. I'm glad Gadreel was big enough to forgive him for his follies as well." 

"How are Raphael and Gabriel are treated?"

"Like they're expendable. Like their opinions don't matter. I think Michael and Samael should work on becoming more trusting of them, and not just each other."

The archangels in heaven quieted and looked at each other, Raphael glaring at them as if daring to contradict their father. Gabriel looked unperturbed a lopsided smile on his face making Amitiel laugh. But his eyes were guarded he and Raphael shared a small smile as if to say — look even Father noticed what our own brothers could not or would not see.

"And Lucifer? What do you feel about him?" Asked Becky. The archangels leaned in with baited breath, well except for Lucifer who pretended not to care.

Yahweh gave Becky a tired smile.

"I love my little star, he's impressed me and made me cry like no other. I'm proud of how much he's grown, how much he's endured at my hands at the hands of his brothers. But, I just wish he'd give me a chance, I wish he'd let me love him again." 

Yahweh whispered the last part as if it was to himself. He wiped the tears coming into his eyes. In heaven the other archangels turned to Helel. He was crying, his eyes shinning. His remaining wings trying to shield him. Michael and Samael pulled him into a hug, trying to calm him down. Amitiel smiled at them till she turned to see Gabriel and Raphael.

"What's wrong? Are you both heartless?"

"We're not heartless, but Michael and Samael would never forgive us if we did what he did. If either of us split up the family." 

Said Gabriel, Raphael nodding.

Amitiel rolled her eyes. "You have each other right? You have me. Do you really need them? Because I sure don't, you guys are my favorite brothers anyway." 

Raphael and Gabriel looked at each other and shook their heads. They didn't need them, they loved their older brothers but they had to accept that they would never be that close with them. It was okay if they had each other. They turned and grinned at her, pulling into her a hug.

"Raphi? Do you want to take on the world with me?" Thought Gabriel.

"I would love to. Oh, I almost forgot I forgive you Trickster." Raphael thought with a sly grin.

Gabriel glowed and hugged them harder.

Meanwhile Yahweh looked at Becky. Becky stared back.

"You have other questions don't you? Questions you're afraid to ask." Said Yahweh.

Becky nodded gravely, looking around nervously.

"Go ahead this is your time, ask whatever you want."

Becky looked back at him, her shoulders squared back, her jaw set. She took a deep breath and said,

"So since the world is most likely ending soon... Would you do me the honor and marry me?"

After getting over the shock of her question. Yahweh shook his head.

"I can't. I can't marry my creation."

"Why?"

"Because you would not survive on my home planet, because the council will kill you for it. Is there anything I can do for you, to make for it?"

Yahweh hadn't exactly lied, he could have gotten her alive to his home planet through Ascension. But she would have lost some of herself along the way, she would have become a shell of herself. He couldn't see that. Plus he didn't actually love her, not like she loved him. She was in love with him, he was not. He couldn't fall in love with someone so fleeting, not when the alternative was heading on a ship straight toward him.

"Can you give me Chuck back? Was he ever there?"

Yahweh smiled. "Yes he was, he still is. He might be different Becky. He might not love you as quickly I did. He might not be as easy to get along with as I am. Do you still want him?"

Becky swallowed and nodded. "If he wants to."

Chuck Yahweh could feel was struggling with being selfish and his own curiosity. He saw how different Becky had become. She was more sure of herself, more calm. He wanted to see what he could do. He was about to say yes, to try again with her, when he remembered the Winchesters.

"He says he wants to, but he wants to make sure Sam and Dean are alright. What would you like to do Becky?"

She rolled his eyes at Chuck's heroism. "I'll stay if you promise to personally tell me the outcome of The Council understood. You!"

Yahweh chuckled and nodded. "Anything else?"

"Can I get a pet? A cat I could talk to who understands me?" She gasps. "I could have superpowers!"

Chuck rolled his eyes, okay maybe she wasn't totally calm now, but small bouts like this was endearing.

Yahweh laughed again snapped his fingers a tiny black kitten appeared at his hands, he gave it to Becky. Suddenly something caught his eyes and he paled.

"What is that?" Asked Becky pointing at what appeared to be a shooting star while nuzzling the kitten.

"That would be The Council. I must go Becky. I'm sorry, but I will try to keep you safe and your new friend... Pollux? Safe."

Yahweh vanished before Becky could nod or wonder how he had named her kitten before her. She looked down at it purred at her.

 _"I named myself."_ Said the kitten before Becky could ask. Its green eyes staring at her adoringly.

_"I'm Pollux. But you can call me Lux for short Princess."_


	26. Chapter 26

Samael could feel Michael calling him, but he ignored it. He had found Lucifer. After hearing Father Lucifer had stayed a little longer and then run away. Samael didn't know why he was taking to a demon, Belial he thought her name was.

Belial: "What can I help with you Father?"

Samael rolled his eyes at the title.

"I've heard rumors that you know things. Things that no one else does. Do you?"

"I'm not sure what you mean Father, but I'll try to answer the question as best I can."

"Very well. What do you know about the council?"

"Nothing. But my Teacher Kushiel might."

"Thank you Belial, congrats on becoming Queen. Here is my gift for you."

Lucifer to the shock of Belial and Samael gave her a necklace of a pentagram and a horned man on the other. He then flew away.

Samael waited a little longer in hiding, now that he knew where Lucifer was going next he would be easy to find.

"Well done." Said a voice from the shadows. 

Belial turned and grinned, and mock curtsied. She pretended to flick imaginary dust from her dress.

"He's so obsessed with finding this council, he didn't even bother to check if I was lying. I mean I thought creating those rumors were the easy part, you made it sound hard to trick him."

The voice stepped into the light and Samael sucked in a sharp breath as if he'd been stabbed. He'd know that boy anywhere. He had cradled him, swaddled him, cooed at him. Had marveled at his beautiful silver eyes. 

It had been hard enough to give up Sariel to Heaven when he had come of age, but giving his baby, his youngest child to hell had been near impossible. He had only survived by knowing Abaddon and Azrael would look after him as their own. It was worse after Namaah was killed so soon after Samael never know who. Samael had a sneaking suspicion that it was Father's last blow on him for running away, for not staying with Michael, for not being loyal.


	27. Chapter 27

Michael had gone from heaven soon after Lucifer and Samael. He needed to find Kushiel and stop him. He flew for a while till he felt it — Kushiel's grace. 

He landed at what looked to be an abandoned factory. He was too late.

Kushiel turned, he was one of the few angels who wasn't scared of Michael. He had been raised by them, had been in the first batch to been created after the archangels along with Azazel and Gadreel, Namaah, and Durmiel.

"Michael what a pleasure. What can I do for you?"

"Enough with the lies Kushiel. Where is she? I can feel her."

"Michael. It's been a while."

Michael looked up to see Namaah sitting on the catwalk. Grinning she jumped down, her long hair in a braid. She smiled and continued,

"The last time we saw each other you killed me."

"I killed you because of what you did. You tempted Samael, I should have killed you're spawns as well."

She growled and pinned him against the wall, he simply chuckled he didn't want to kill her, not yet.

"I should have, but I did not. As a result one rules hell and the other has rose to a Seraph to serve under Castiel."

Namaah loosened her fingers at the news. 

"Whose Castiel?" 

"It's not important, you'll come to meet him soon enough. What's important is that we leave now."

Michael grabbed her, and ran toward Kushiel. Before either of him could stop him, he smited him. 

"That's for destroying my beloved sister. For getting her to fall."

Michael whispered and flew away, Namaah in shock next to him. They left just as Lucifer came bursting in, Samael a few steps behind him.

"I know you're there Samael. I've known since that demon."

"Why didn't you kill her?"

Lucifer shrugged and looked at him.

"Maybe because you were watching. Maybe because I'm not a monster after all. If Father loves me I can't be right, father doesn't love monsters, does he?"

Samael went to give Lucifer a hug and froze, Kushiel was smited.

"Kushiel's dead. Michael."

"Why Michael?"

"Because I think he knows something, he was calling to me a few minutes ago."

Samael leaned down to see Kushiel better, when a wail pierced the air. He turned to see Amitiel run toward Kushiel and sag down holding his head, in her arms. She glared at him.

"You killed him didn't you? Why did you have to do that!"

"Why would I kill him Amitiel?"

"Because he was going to revive Namaah and make her become the next horsemen of death! Don't lie to me Samael, you'd rather her be dead than doing something she hated for all eternity!"

Lucifer froze as Samael's eyes went wide and he stumbled back. He looked at Lucifer,

"Stay with her, that's an order." He then flew away. He had to find Michael.

"Michael! Why didn't you tell me?"

Michael turned, Samael had found him at the lost site of Eden. 

Michael shook his head as Samael came closer, if he was this angry at him not being told, if Samael knew what he did... How would he react then?

"He didn't tell you because he was the one who killed me." Samael turned around Namaah jumped down from the tree she had climbed. She smiled and hugged him.

"Our children are alright. They're safe luv." She whispered into his ear inbetween tears.

Samael finally turned away to see Michael. He was watching them, his face unreadable. Was he thinking about what it felt like to hold the one you love? Or was he thinking about how it felt to see the light leave Namaah's eyes when he stabbed her? Whatever he was thinking he didn't have time to voice it.

"It's Father." Said Gabriel appearing to them in a huff. He must have raced here.

"The council has arrived, they're meeting us at the Winchesters. We're allowed to bring whoever we want, but he strongly advises to bring ourselves — he didn't want it too be crowded." He continued then flew away again.

"Are you bringing Namaah?"

"No. Are you bringing Gadreel?"

"No."

"Good."

"Good." Michael gave him one last look and flew away. His wings beating harder than needed on the ground as he flew away.

"Namaah I know you have a million and one other things to do, but will you find Zephon and Ithuriel and tell them to keep an eye on Castiel?"

"Um sure why? Where are they?"

"They're in heaven teaching angels all the reasons to love humanity." He said rolling his eyes.

"As to why I'm asking about Castiel. Durmiel has been sniffing around, he came barging into the Winchester bunker looking for him and spewing all this crap about Raphael a few weeks ago. I just need to make sure Castiel is protected from him."

"Durmiel finally found someone? Wow. Why does Castiel need to be protected?"

"Because Durmiel drove Castiel to have his memories taken away. He did something, I don't know what, but something so bad that Castiel rather not remember him than forgive him."

Samael twitched. "Michael is calling me. I have to go. Think you can do that for me?"

"Yeah I can. I love you Samael."

"And I you Namaah."


	28. Chapter 28

Vaatu paced the sky deck. His robes swishing back and forth.

"Vaatu?" He stopped and waved his Sentinels away. If she was going to yell at him he didn't want any witnesses.

"You can come closer Raava I won't bite." He snapped rolling his eyes.

"That. That is what I can't stand. Why don't you let me in? You used to when we were younger, why do you always hide? Are you a coward Vaatu?"

She came closer pointing her finger at him. He looked away, briefly thinking if he could get away with throwing her over the railing, letting her languish in nothing. He shook his head ultimately deciding against it. Nero or Zia weren't ready to lead yet.

"Why shouldn't I snap at you? You're the one whose always yelling. Why should I not shield myself from that assault?"

Raava rolled her eyes. "The truth is not an assault."

"It is if you don't want to hear it." Vaatu whispered turning away. Raava sighed, she was about to walk away, she didn't know why she bothered trying to make it work between them, it's not like she was at a loss for company.

"You wanted me to let you in? Fine you're in. So why did you come here?" Vaatu said his hands clasped behind him, his head turned to look at the nothingness stretching into yonder. They were going to to approach Yahweh's world soon.

"Vaatu I came because I wanted to know, why don't you let me in anymore? Tell me what I did."

"You didn't do anything. It was never about you Raava. It was just how it turned out, Yahweh had to leave. He was threatening our rule. Our very new rule. We were the first, our family's had joined us to create the new line—"

He was rambling now.

"What does this have to do with you? With Yahweh?" Ugh, how she detested that Exalted. He acted like he owned the planet, like everyone loved him. Which most did, he would weave these tales farfetched so beautifully that you would have no choice but to get enraptured and here how they ended.

"Yahweh I let in. We were friends for so long. He was to be my advisor did you know that? Anyway, he would be a good God I knew if given the chance. But he was poor it was a wonder he had even risen as far as he had. I helped him, he helped me prepare to rule. And then I couldn't imagine a time when he wasn't there. I —"

He cut himself off. He didn't want to talk about this, not to her.

"Go on Vaatu. I want to hear."

"I became dependent on him Raava. I needed him. It was agonizing to be away from him. But then Father swore me in as the new Lord of Shadow, I saw just how much our world, our people depended on us. How much they believed. I saw the magnitude of what we were doing in that small room in the Hall Of Ancients."

_**"The unmarked one. The door that has no outward symbol or sign to guide you. The one that you'll find when you need it. The door that will lead you home."** _

The music came to them. The childhood hymn they would hear every night. The Door of Dreams. The door that led you to the Ancients where you could talk and stay with all night so the evil Choatics wouldn't hunt you and hurt you. The Ancients were always watching, waiting for you to join them at Home.

They smiled at each other, for once they weren't fighting. The air between them felt light, but nothing good ever lasts.

An Ascension came running toward them. He bowed and said,

"We're approaching Yahweh's world my Lord, My Lady. Would like us to have a proclamation?"

The feeling came crashing down as they looked at each other,

"Raava what would you like to do?"

"Issue a proclamation." She looked long and hard at Vaatu.

_"I trust you Vaatu. Thank you for letting me in."_

"Tell him we come in peace."

Raava gave him one last glance and walked inside the Ascension trailing behind her.

Finally Vaatu was alone. He sighed relived looking at the solar system Yahweh had created. It was pretty but he had seen him do better. Yahweh really had placed most of his energy into the third one. It shown in beautiful emerald and sapphire.

Vaatu let himself have a small victorious smile. He knew the way to sway Raava to his side was not logic but emotion. She couldn't resist a tragic story.

Yahweh stood outside the bunker Sam and Dean at his side. He could feel Michael and Samael hovering close by waiting. There was something wrong between them but both of them were smart of enough to not let it get in the way of this.

Yahweh grinned

"It's time."

"For what?" Asked Dean.

Yahweh stared at him and smiled slyly. Dean could see then where Lucifer got the grin from.

"To put on a show." With a snap of his fingers the sky exploded.

Vaatu gasped moving away from the window. Breaking into a grin he laughed. His voice carrying through the ship, Raava followed it see what happened. It was such an odd time to laugh — with everything going on.

"Oh Yahweh well done. You've surprised me yet again." Vaatu said, Raava hid. This was new.

Vaatu continued, he whispered now afraid to even admit it to himself. His hand coming on the glass as if he wished he could touch the sky, have the colors run through his fingers like silk scarfs.

"I can't wait to see you Yahweh, I've missed you luv."

A jolt of energy surged from his hand falling to the ground and racing through it. Vaatu knew it was risky, he shouldn't tamper with this world, not till he'd seen everything, and made a decision as to wether it should be purged or not.

Raava turned away, drying her tears. She couldn't keep this up, but if he wouldn't leave. Then she would keep it strictly Protocol.

The energy raced through the ground heading for its mark.

"Father! Watch out!" Called Samael having found a vessel to pass the time. Yahweh turned to look at what he was talking about when the energy slammed into him, knocking him off his feet.

He closed his eyes he was floating in black. Then he started to feel the emotions slam into him one by one, getting faster and faster. Grief, anger, sorrow, pity, fear, lust, pain — that was one of the more intense ones Yahweh gasped out loud at the sharpness of it. And last slow, protectively wrapping him in a cocoon: Love.

Yahweh opened his eyes and got up he dusted himself off. He was smiling. Vaatu still cared, still loved him. He could have danced. His smile faltered as he saw the ship land and the door open.

Vaatu braced himself, Yahweh might of changed. Might hate him. His eyes widened at the thought. He had no idea what he would do if Yahweh hated him.

He moved to the front of the ship as he and Raava shared a glance. She seemed different in the short time he hadn't seen her, more resigned. The fire was dimmer. He shrugged probably a spat with her latest lover. Probably didn't like the new positions she wanted to try. He sniggered at the thought, just as the door opened to meet the Earth below.

Vaatu was the first to move down the steps. As he stepped down he looked up to see Yahweh watching him. Inside his heart lurched, he still had the same smile! Outside he appeared calm, he strode over. Glancing at Dean and Sam his eyes only for Yahweh.

They stared at each other for a while. Till finally Yahweh lifted an eyebrow,

"You're planets nice. I liked the light show." Vaatu said nonchalantly a slow smile appearing on his face. Yahweh grinned, that's what they were really talking about. Not the planet, it was never about the planet.

"Vaatu!" Called Raava coming behind them.

"Right!" said Vaatu turing around to face them.

"Children, then Amaro, then our judgment. Sound good?"

"Do I actually get a say?"

"No of course not, I said it for the benefit of your experiments."

_"Children!"_

"Whatever, now where are our children Yahweh?"

"Papa!" Called a new voice. Vaatu'a heart lurched for an entirely new reason. He and Raava shared a look. Her eyes reflected his own turmoil. Only one of their children called him that and she was dead, wasn't she?

"Kiana?" Whispered Vaatu as she slammed into him. He patted her back awkwardly. He caught Raava's eye she was as shocked as he was.

He felt her nod. He gently pulled her away. Looking beyond her head he saw Nero staring at him, cautiously Draven at his side. A boy stood near by watching Kiana. Vaatu narrowed his eyes in his direction. Raava placed an arm to placate him.

"Nero where is Zia?" Asked Vaatu he forced himself to not shake Raava's hand away.

"I— I don't know. I mean I know she's alive..."

Nero trailed off at his father's look. Vaatu sighed and snapped his hand. Raava walked toward Kiana her eyes wide, her arms wider.

At Vaatu'a side a man crouched down. He looked normal except for the canine eyes. He stared at Vaatu.

"Fetch Zia." The man shot off into the woods hot on Zia's sent.

"Why did you bring a Retriever Father?" Asked Nero stepping close. Vaatu again forcing himself to not glare at Nero's face.

"In case any of you tried to run."

They didn't have much time to talk as the retriever came back wounded and without his prize.

"Sebastian! What happened to you?" Asked Vaatu staring at him. The Retriever shook his head as Vaatu hovered over him. He moved to the path Sebastian had come down.

"Vaatu no! You can't go alone."

"Watch me."

Vaatu strode down the way Sebastian had come. The spots of blood an easy indiction of his next steps.

He came to clearing in the woods, his eyes widened at the assortment of flowers that rose from the ground. Random and beautiful.

"Cyrus! You shouldn't have done that! That was a Retriver from Father!"

"Which means The Council is here right? The Council who could have you killed?"

"I assure you Cyrus I have no intention of killing my daughter."

Said Vaatu stepping into the valley, the twigs and leaves crunching underfoot.

Zia gasped and moved away. As she backed away, one of the Retrievers came and pulled her home. When she had finally been taken away, Vaatu's eyes turned to Cyrus.

"Do you know who you are?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean do you know what you are, who you are?"

Finally Cyrus shook his head. Vaatu gave him a cold smile.

"Are you my friend or foe?

"That depends on what you are to Zia."

"I told you I am her father, her pain is the last thing I wish."

He paused and continued,

"If you don't believe me, you're best bet is to stay by side and give me your loyalty. That way you can watch me."

Vaatu stuck out his hand, after some trepidation Cyrus took it, his face an unreadable mask.

As Vaatu and Cyrus walked on, Vaatu whispered to him.

"Tell no one of your name. Tell no one who you are."

Cyrus looked at him from the side. His profile showed someone who knew emotions were a weakness. The power and confidence radiating seemed to suggest that he was high up, if he said something he would try to keep his word. Which begged the question why was someone of his stature wasting his time with someone like him?

"Do you fear me Vaatu?"

Vaatu looked at him, surprise slipping through his mask. He looked away, a small smile on his face as he continued to walk.

"I fear what you can become."

"And what can I become?" Vaatu placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head ever so slightly. He left him there at the edge of the clearing. He walked to Retriver he had burned.

Placing a hand on his forehead Vaatu healed him. He turned to the Retrievers,

"Now find Amaro. It's way past time we had a little chat." The Retrievers sprang up and up, till they were flying — flying to their death in Cyrus's opinion.

Vaatu sighed turning away. Cyrus had more power than he thought a Reborn ever could. He was also perceptive, probably his way of surviving.

He turned to see Zia watching him. He sighed again and raised an eyebrow at her. By it wasn't Cyrus she talked about. It was Kiana,

"Father you can't let her become Lady of Light. She's not fit for the role."

"Oh like you're perfect? You ran away."

"Yeah but I didn't do what you did, did I princess?" The nickname made Kiana stumble back and pale. Vaatu narrowed his eyes Zia was never this vindictive. But the Kiana he knew was never this hurtful.

Sebastian came back to him landing in a crouch. Vaatu let himself admire the tautness of his muscles. The way his arms held him, strong but graceful. Vaatu felt he deserved a treat after all he'd done.

"You're not doing well today Sebastian."

Sebastian fluidly came to stand in front of him. He didn't rise to the bait, this wasn't a laughing matter.

"We found Amaro but he's being protected by a thing, he calls her Princess. Says she has to protect him."

Yahweh eyes widened behind him. Vaatu took this as a good indication that something was going well, he should be more than a little afraid, he could lose everything today.

"Anything else Bash?"

Sebastian almost beamed at the nickname, but now was not the time.

"He called himself Pollux."

"Becky!" And Yahweh vanished. Vaatu laid a hand on Sebastian's cheek. This time he didn't care what Raava saw.

"Thank you Bash. I'll take it from here." He vanished. Only after had his touch left him did Sebastian realize the unsaid order — don't follow.

Sebastian growled deep in his throat.

"It hurts to be used doesn't it?"  
Asked Raava quietly. Sebastian rounded on her, for once he forgot Protocol, he forgot that he could die for this, for even admitting it so openly. For once he wanted to hurt her.

"I'm not being used. Unlike you I know my place, I know what he can afford to give me. I know what he cannot say. I'm loyal to my master — I will stay loyal till my dying breath."

Vaatu moved in the space, Yahweh a few yards a head of him. He was trying to reason with person — he assumed it to be the Princess that Sebastian was referring to. Vaatu shook his head, he had been dangerously close to treason then, Retrievers at their worst were attack machines, and at their best pets. They were never lovers. Vaatu shook his head and turned his attention to the scene before him.

"Yahweh tell her to give us Amaro."

Yahweh rolled his eyes, he gestured to her.

"Becky won't. She says that Pollux is terrified and needs to be protected."

Vaatu had had enough of this bullshit. He pulled amaro forcibly from the thing that was held in Becky's arms as she screamed.

"Your The Council aren't you?"

"It's one thing for Cyrus to know about us, it's another entirely for your experiments to know Yahweh. You know that's a violation right?"

Yahweh swallowed opened his hands in a shrug.

"What have you done to Pollux?" Becky whispered horrified as she saw the silver chains binding him to Vaatu.

Vaatu shook his head.

"Becky? This is Amaro, he corrupted that thing you held, using at a shield to hide from my Retrievers."

Becky blinked, she didn't understand most of it, but she got the gist — she had been tricked.

Before Amaro could be led away he played his hand.

"It should be Yahweh in chains not me! Asked what he did to Kiana!"

Vaatu stared at him and for a long moment Amaro thought he had been told and didn't care. Vaatu finally turned to Yahweh.

"Well Yahweh? Do you want to tell me what Amaro means?"

"Your actually going to listen to him? He's a chaotic! He breeds chaos with every breath!"

Vaatu rolled his eyes,

"You hurt him, after I told you that the way to control is to let go. If you keep chaos or in this case a creature of chaos bottled up it will have effects. Why do you think your world for a lack of a better word is so fucked up? Chaos can't be contained, it can't be for controlled. It must exist side by side with order or it bleeds and destroys everything. As for his lies, he's not lying. He's not that stupid to accuse you Yahweh, especially in front of me."

Yahweh's eyes widened then he glared at Vaatu. He finally flashed away. He wanted an audience, to prove he was right, or so he could get the story over with — Vaatu for once wasn't sure.

"If he doesn't cooperate will you let us see from your mind, Amaro?"

Vaatu purposefully used his name. Many Chaotics lost their name the longer Exalted used them, by using his name Vaatu was giving him a piece of his identity back.

Amaro nodded at him.

They flashed down to the ground. Raava was waiting for them. Kiana watched her father, her eyes wide and her hands clenched.

Vaatu crossed his arms. He let Amaro go, he knew he wasn't going anywhere.

"Well Yahweh I'm waiting." Yahweh turned away and glared. He spoke quietly as if only to him though everyone could hear him.

"I can't. I can't tell you, either of you. It's too painful. I—I'm sorry Vaatu."

Inside Vaatu panicked, Yahweh always told him, whatever he asked Yahweh always answered. He never once said he couldn't. If Yahweh wouldn't tell him, how bad is it?

Outwardly Vaatu rolled his eyes. He held his hand to Raava and together they turned to Amaro. He look petrified.

"Please don't hurt me after this."

"Please Amaro, helping The Council has its rewards you know that." Raava said in her sickly sweet voice.

Amaro sighed and opened his mind to them. They saw what he saw. Scenes brief and choppy, pieced together in a painful, tragic, narrative.

_"I want to be free Amaro. The order is stifling me."_

_"Yahweh is taking me away. Come with me. Run away with me Kiana. Come with me and be the Queen of Stars."_

Vaatu stopped the narrative and stared at Kiana.

"You actually believed him? After everything we've told you about chaos? How it seeps into your mind and destroys your thoughts, twists your path till you don't remember the beginning or the destination—"

"Till all you crave is Destruction and all you see is Freedom." Kiana finished. She continued glaring at him,

"I remember the lesson Papa. I just didn't believe he would hurt me. But I'm different now! See the newest memory Mama, see that I've changed!"

Vaatu and Raava shared a look.

_"When did our children become so obsessed with power?"_

_"When power became the only means to keep our attention."_

Raava turned away, and went through the memories again, she saw when Amaro had become imprisoned.

_"I give this to you Amaro. The cure to bring Kiana back to you. Knowing you have it, I now tell you your punishment. You spend the remainder of days of this universe locked in this prison, watching as Kiana lives and dies never knowing what she was destined to become."_

_"Yahweh please! Why are you doing this to me? I've done nothing to you!"_

Yahweh turned away, his face dark in the absence of light.

_"That's right you didn't do anything to me, you are a proxy, a means to exact my righteous anger. I will make him hurt like I did. I'll make him feel the pain I felt leaving home."_

_"Who?"_

Yahweh turned a manic gleam in his eyes.

_"Who else? Vaatu the bane and reason for my existence."_

Vaatu went further saw Kiana get her memories back and turned on Amaro.

The narrative ended. The book finished. Kiana had made it clear she didn't love him. Or did she do it knowing she would be seen? Did she do it in fact to save him? To keep him alive when she became the Lady of Light?

Raava or Vaatu would never know. They intended to not let a Chaotic sympathizer become the Lady Of Light. Vaatu looked hard at Yahweh and gave him The Council's final decision.

"This world and universe with all its native occupants will be purged. I hereby arrest you Yahweh son of Elosian on treason, you are stripped of your power and title. Your execution is set immediately upon arrival to Azararthian soil."

"As for Lady of Light, till I see better character from either of you, I will keep my title." Raava said her eyes hard on her daughters. They both looked away in shame and anger at each other.

Vaatu turned to lock eyes with Elohim. A slow smile spread on his face. Elohim silently shook his head.

"Draven you're under arrest for conspiring to corrupt the royal line."

Elohim's knees buckled.

Yahweh screamed over them.

"Zia your stronger than Kiana. You were not meant to be the Lady of Light. You were meant to bring the Ancients back. Cyrus he's a reborn—"

_Thwack._

Vaatu's backhand resonated in the clearing. His voice was deathly quiet.

"You will not speak to my daughter. You are beneath her. You are a creature, a dim light in a sea of stars."

Yahweh shrank away. Vaatu could feel the Angels' anger. But Yahweh kept them at bay.

With a snap of his fingers Vaatu took Yahweh and all the children away.

Brahman and Aldonai waited for him on the ship.

"Brahman have you brought what I asked?"

"Yes my lord, Jiva is unharmed and secured aboard the ship."

"Wonderful, I want you to come home with us. I need you to keep Yahweh calm. Send Asherah down to earth. I want to destroy every single essence of Yahweh. She's the last thread. I want her to be purged."

"Vaatu. You can't do that, you have no reason. She's in good standing among the council." Said Raava coming behind him. Though she didn't dispute the need for her to be gone. She was a liability a tether.

Vaatu looked to them. His eyes tired, he didn't have a hope as to them having anything on them.

"I think I have a way to get rid of her." Spoke up Aldonai. He had to time this carefully. He had already broke Yahweh's Angels, that was easy. Now he just had to break The Coucil.

"She claimed to know about Cyrus and didn't tell us, she claimed to know what Yahweh did."

"And what did Yahweh do? This obviously brings up the question as to why you didn't tell us about Cyrus."

Aldonai was ready.

"You know how paranoid Weh gets. He probably bugged the channels so I didn't risk it with communicating anything crucial."

Vaatu nodded. "So what did he do?"

"He caused Shekinah to die, she and Yahweh conspired to kill the child. She obviously was found guilty, but Yahweh tricked her into taking the blame and taking Cyrus someplace safe."

Vaatu narrowed his eyes.

"How do you know how Shekinah really died? We put it down as poison."

Aldonai shrugged the purity of innocence like the child they thought they knew him for.

"Yahweh told me."

Vaatu nodded again. "So what does this have to do with Asherah?"

"She was in on the plot."

"Do you have proof of this?"

Aldonai nodded. "It's circumstantial, but it's there."

"That enough Raava?"

Raava nodded a sly smile.

"Wonderful. Now get her off my ship."

Brahman pulled Aldonai aside.

"What the hell? You know Vaatu helped on the plot! You'll get us both killed." He hissed, wary of cameras.

Aldonai shrugged.

"I have a plan, trust me. Now you can either stay in my way or help me. I will do it with or without you."

Brahman swallowed.

"What do I have to do?"

"Throw the children over board. Your daughter excluded of course. When this place is purged so will they. Vaatu and Raava won't have heirs they'll have no claim to the titles, and we can place Jiva as the Lady of Light."

"And for the Lord?"

Aldonai smiled.

"Your looking at him Brahman. Now run along and do as I say. And I'll treat your daughter like a queen."


	29. Chapter 29

"Why destroy when you can evolve?"

"What?" Asked Vaatu looking over his glasses to see Raava standing in the doorway of his office.

"You heard me. Why don't we offer them Ascension instead of purging them? That was our original plan anyway, no reason we shouldn't go through with it now, we get a few new Asceniosn out of it too."

"And Yahweh gets the pain of seeing his children choose Ascension. I get to see his disappointment that they chose the easy way out! Raava your brilliant!"

He got up and kissed her on the cheek, neither of them missed the spark. Raava chose to hold on to it, as a sign from The Ancients.. Vaatu on the other hand chose to let it go as a sign of his excitement.

His excitement led him to find Aldonai. They hadn't left yet he was in the kitchen fixing himself a sandwich. Vaatu watched him for a few minutes.

"Your plan is going to fail."

"Wha?"

"Your plan to overthrow Raava and I is going to fail. Yahweh doesn't tell half stories."

Aldonai lost the bewildered look. He stopped hiding, and showed his hand. His voice became serious.

"He took away Cyrus's childhood. How is that fair?"

Vaatu leaned in close.

"It's fair for the greater good. It's fair if the alternative would have been to laid in a ditch somewhere had Raava gone through with her plan. Had I not stopped her. Shekinah was a casualty, someone to pin it on."

Vaatu concluded with a shrug.

"Are you going to kill me now Vaatu?"

Vaatu didn't tell people his plans. He only did if they weren't going to be alive long enough to tell someone else.

"No you're bright. I want you to go and tell his children about Ascenion. Convince them or your little lover... Atlas right? Dies."

"You've taken him? When?"

Aldonai needed to keep him talking, tell him when the man he loved had been replaced.

Vaatu turned back and gave him a chilled smiled.

"Who said anything about taking? He's right where you left him, safe and sound in your chambers. However, if his memories of his life as a experiment were to come back and he were to lead a revolt — a _failed_ revolt and died because of it, who am I to get in his way?"

"When did you give his memories back?"

"I haven't. Not yet." Vaatu opened his robes and showed him a button with red.

"Every Ascenion has a chip of their lives programmed into them, in case they need to back into an experiment, it saves us time. So I wouldn't tempt me Aldonai I'm already itching to destroy someone, pray that the target doesn't become you. Because I will destroy you so utterly and completely you won't even remember your name."

Vaatu turned fully and walked away. Humming a childhood hymn about dreams and doors. Leaving Aldonai to wonder what he'd gotten himself into, and how to fix it.


	30. Chapter 30

Dean rubbed his eyes. This was too much. The world was literally going to end again. And God was being taken away by an all powerful council. 

He looked over to see Castiel sitting on the couch while staring at nothing, apparently heaven wasn't fairing any better. He wondered why they didn't go to war though.

"Because how do we fight something that we don't know the location of? That's War 101." Said Samael. Dean shook his head, he hated how Michael and Samael could read his mind. But he liked Samael best among the archangels — you always knew where you stood with him.

Dean smirked, "War 101? What your teaching classes now?

Samael smiled wider. "Yes! Would you like to join Dean? I'm giving special discounts for  
Humans since the world is ending."

"The world will not end. We will save Father's Creation." Said Michael.

Realizing who he was talking to he tried to walk to the other side of the room. Dean raised an eyebrow, was Michael scared of  
Samael?

"He's not scared. He's just trying to avoid a confrontation."

"I can speak for myself Samael." Said Michael arms crossed.

"You're right you can. So enlighten me Michael why did you kill her?"

Michael smirked. "We put down monsters don't we Samael?" 

Before Dean could blink Samael had crossed the room his sword in his hand. Michael easily blocked it.

"Don't you remember little brother who won our last battle?"

"I'm not a child Michael. I will beat you."

"Will you? You swore to me you won't make the same mistakes. Won't let your anger guide you, isn't that what your doing Sun?"

Samael yelled fencing with Michael. 

Dean could see Lucifer and Gabriel had arrived probably some news from heaven. They look terrified.

Raphael came glaring at Gabriel.

"It was one message Gabriel. I didn't think it would take you this long to deliver it, or have you forgotten how to do your job after you ran away?"

Raphael followed Gabriel's eyes just in time to see Michael come flying toward them. He stared in shock till a hand came and grabbed him and Gabriel and pulled them out of the way.

Raphael shook Lucifer off, but he was shaking. The memories of the first civil war playing out behind his eyes.

"Samael you know he's goading you right?"

Said a new voice the other three archangels sucked in their breath and look up to see Namaah balancing on the second story balcony.

"Well of course he is. He's too much of a coward to really talk."

Michael got up brushing the rubble of the wall from his body. He glared at Samael. He weighed the options, attack Samael and make him listen or attack Namaah and have to deal with her ire.

He decided for the easier option, and the one that would keep most of his feathers intact, he was meeting Gadreel after this anyway.

He attacked Samael diving for his legs just as Samael twisted up to kick him in the face, Michael pinned him to the floor.

"You want an answer? A real one, not rhetoric? Fine. I killed her because I was jealous. You fell, helped Heliel with the rebellion, destroyed our family and still you get a happy ending. Still you got everything you ever wanted. What did I get for being loyal? A brother who ran away, another whose so angry he rather burn than ask for help."

Michael was crying the other archangels tensed. Dean wondered why.

"Michael doesn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. He's never let any of us see him cry. Though Samael told us that when each of us was born he did cry. And no I can't read your mind, I'm just guessing on your expression."

Said Amitiel appearing by his side. She gave him a side smile. She seemed better, but Dean didn't have to be an angel to know she was still falling apart inside. 

Samael pushed him away. Shaking himself he glared at his broken brother. For the second time in history his sword pointed at Michael's throat,

"Don't think your emotions will sway me Michael. I will make you pay. I will destroy you."

"I think all those who harm their brothers and sisters for themselves should be eradicated."

A new voice called from near the door.

"Durmiel?" Whispered Namaah. She shrugged at Samael's glare. Michael took the opportunity and stabbed Samael in the knee making him buckle. He rolled out of the way as Samael's blade came down. Seeing Durmiel Michael moved to Raphael's side. If Kushiel was Samael's protege then Durmiel had been his.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Asked Dean exasperated.

"Eradicate really? Don't you think that's a little strong word choice baby brother? Asked Michael. Everyone ignored Dean. Dean rolled his eyes.

Samael groaned from the floor. He slowly got up smiling at Namaah who helped him up. She didn't say anything. She was as angry as the other archangels to see them fight.

Castiel looked lost. He had slumped to the floor from the couch. As if he felt he didn't deserve comfort.

Durmiel walked toward him, forgetting samael and anyone else existed save for Castiel. The other Angels watched silent.

"Take my hand Castiel. No one deserves to be alone, not now."

Castiel looked up at him. He looked so broken. Durmiel had to fight the urge to grab him and run. Hide him from all of this pain, all this torment.

"He doesn't remember Durmiel." Spoke Raphael quietly. 

Durmiel turned to glare at him, "And why is that? You took it away! You broke him Raphael! Broke him!"

Dean took a step back in shock. He had met Raphael a few times, and from what he gathered in those brief meetings was that no one talked to him like that, not Lucifer, not even Michael or Yellow Eyes. This angel was going to get himself smited. It was a pity, he seemed to really care for Cass.

Raphael shook his head, he slowly walked toward him. His arms outstretched. He grasped Durmiel's arms.

"He asked for them to be take away Dhuma. He asked for them, begged me. I didn't have a choice. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He held Durmiel as he broke down.

"Durmiel looked up to Raphael and I the most out of all of us. Till Castiel he always followed us around." Whispered Amitiel to Dean.

"Castiel? Are you alright?" Durmiel turned to see Hannah hovering over him. Castiel seemed to come from his daze enough to see her. He suddenly stood up and walked away.

"You told me you wouldn't use her. That she would be free."

"Castiel I felt you get hurt. I— I needed to make sure you were alright."

Castiel turned to look at her. Durmiel made a move to run. His wings twitching, he tried to twist out of Raphael's grasp.

"No Shh. Listen Dhuma." Raphael whispered to him.

"I told you Hannah I can't." Castiel looked away.

"Please Castiel I —"

"Don't Hannah. Please don't. I can't. I don't love you like that."

Dean rose an eyebrow. Who knew Castiel had an admirer.

Raphael finally let Durmiel go. Hannah's eyes widened. Her grace began to go into shock. 

"Durmiel was the head of Hannah's garrison." Supplied Amitiel to Dean.

"It's alright Hannah. You've done a wonderful job in heaven. I'm proud of you. So proud of all you've accomplished. You're a natural leader." 

Said Durmiel putting a hand on her cheek. He looked past her to Castiel one more time and turned to walk away.

Castiel held his wrist stopping him.

"Wait Durmiel. You were right. No one deserves to be alone now. Not today."

"You know each other Castiel?" Asked Hannah.

Castiel held his eyes, and it took of all Durmiel's strength to not close the distance and kiss him. Castiel smiled at him and his grace sang.

"Yes, he's my friend."


	31. Chapter 31

Sam and Adam had gone to meet Aldonai in a diner. Leaving Dean in charge of their Bunker/24hr Supernatural Hotel according to Adam.

Aldonai thought it appropriate to use a diner. The humans could eat, and they couldn't try and kill him. Sam and Adam find it a bit odd that a God was asking them to a diner, since you know Gods don't eat.

"Sam, Adam, welcome!" Said Aldonai spreading his arms wide. With a snap of his fingers the favorite foods of both boys materialized in front of them.

"So... Why are we really here?" Asked Adam hesitantly cutting his food. His eyes never leaving Aldonai's face.

Sam had to stop himself from grinning at his brother. He was finally getting it!

Aldonai sighed and flopped into a chair. 

"Well if you must know it's about Ascension."

"Ascenion?" Repeated Dean later that night on the phone. Sam and Adam had stayed over at a motel. Neither of them were eager to go back to the heavenly circus that had become their home. Especially after Dean told them the latest, Michael and Samael fighting. Adam's heart constricted at that. He knew he shouldn't worry, Michael could take care of himself. But if he got hurt? If something happened to him?

Adam shook his head, as the tendril of jealousy wormed his way through his mind.

"If he got hurt, Gadreel would be there to nurse him back to health. He'll always be there, for all of eternity. Something you could never give him."

Well he couldn't before Ascenion. Aldonai made it seem as if it was as easy changing clothes. Only these new clothes gave you immortality.

"So is Cass okay?" Sam was asking to Dean. They were as surprised as him to learn Castiel had a sketchy past. They had to all remember Castiel wasn't their age, he was so much older. Adam had felt the same way with Michael. He acted like he was his age. Sure some of the things he said or referenced made Adam remember just how young he was compared to him, but it hadn't stopped them then, not in the cage. 

If he could give Michael immortality. If he could show Michael just how far he was willing to go for them, would he take him back?

"I'm doing it." Said Adam standing up. Sam looked at him in shock.

"Wait we don't even know what it entails. We don't know how safe it is. Adam don't be rash."

"I'm not being rash! I'm not being childish! I have to do this Michael! I have to prove I'm not just some fleeting life, if you both want to be forgotten when the world ends be my guest. But I will be alive. I will be remembered."

Adam didn't see Sam. He saw Michael staring at him with those beautiful angel eyes. Michael had told him that he was one of the few humans to see Michael in his true form and live. Maybe it had been the effect of the cage, but Adam liked to think that it was because he was an exceptional human being.

"Adam wait! Sammy stop him!" Dean yelled from the phone as Adam ran out the door. He ran past the parking lot and the streetlights. He ran straight into the cover of the forest. After a few minutes he stopped. He braced his hands on his knees panting. Finally he looked up to see Aldonai staring at him.

Aldonai smiled at him. 

"Good choice. Are you ready to be remembered? Are you ready for your life to begin Adam?"

Aldonai held out his hand. Adam took his hand and stood up and nodded his determinedly.

Aldonai's eyes flashed with something. But before Adam could decipher it, it was gone and they had vanished as Sam screamed in his wake,

"ADAM!"

Aldonai leaned against the door leading to his chambers. He felt the grief he'd been keeping at bay crash over him. How could he do what he was doing knowing the outcome? Knowing what Adam will become? Aldonai shook his head, Atlas was worth it, he was worth bending principles for. 

The one thing Aldonai knew was that Vaatu didn't know where the children were. Aldonai had seen them sneak off the ship. He just neglected to go find Vaatu and tell him.

Aldonai smiled maybe his plan might work after all.


	32. Chapter 32

Asmodeous sat on his throne, bored. Belial had gone to mingle with common demons. She wanted loyalty not backstabbing and the best way to do that was to forge alliances and bonds early on. It was late so when a knock sounded on the throne room doors, Asmodeous was more then a little intrigued.

"Come in."

A man strode in. He grinned at Asmodeous.

"Well done Asmodial. You've done it. You've saved hell. I'm so proud of you."

"Sariel!" Asmodeous jumped down from his throne and gave his elder brother a hug.

"Yeah it wasn't that hard what's taking you so long? Heaven should be yours by now." He continued.

Sariel gave him a tired smile.

"If only it was that simple little brother. But I am unfortunately here on business. Mother is alive."

Asmodeous took a step back. His silver eyes widened.

"What?" 

Sariel nodded his face serious.

"We must save her. Heaven wants her to become the new Horsemen of Death. If we let that happen she will be at the whim of the Winchesters."

"So what do we have to do?"

Sariel smiled, a cold smile.

"We have to either change the Reapers's mind on that, or I was thinking we revive Death. If he's alive Mother is free. What do you say?"

Asmodeous grinned. He rubbed his hands together and said,

"Let's revive a Horseman."


	33. Chapter 33

Samael sighed. It had been a long, long millennia. But she was back. Michael and he had disagreements but Samael forced himself to not dwell on that. He wouldn't forgive him. He couldn't after what he did. Samael stepped back to see his progress. He wouldn't dwell on lost causes, tonight was all about possibilities. 

Michael paced in his room, not even the beauty of the stars converging on his backyard pool in heaven quelled his unease. Samael had to forgive him. He had to, this was too much. He couldn't have him hate him. He had an two ideas. He just needed to know which one to use.

"Gadreel!" Called Michael running outside to the pool. He stopped his mouth went dry. Gadreel looked up from drying the water from his body. He saw as Michael watched as the water trail down his body he blushed. He still wasn't used to this. But after what Azazel had told him about what happened, Michael needed all the distraction he could get. Gadreel took a deep breath closing his eyes. And he heard Michael's hand curl around the door handle.

Opening his eyes, Gadreel smiled this was going to be easier then he thought.

"Yes Michael? Did you need something?"

Gadreel purposefully let go of the towel. He walked slowly toward Michael. He stood an inch away, his hand trailing up Michael's shirt. Michael swallowed. His hand now gripping the doorknob like a lifeline.

Samael looked up to see Namaah come down the walkway toward him. His breath caught, sure human vessels didn't do Angels justice but in this case this one apparently had a wild side. He smirked he wonder if he would be able to test just how wild.

With a snap of his fingers, the walkway lite up in thousand tiny candles. Namaah was used to this she grinned, her vessel was not. The vessel twisting in excitement.

Samael outstretched his hand, she took it. He helped her up the stairs to the empty gazebo on the water. 

Namaah looked at him, this was new. She wouldn't have come today if she didn't think he could do with a distraction and if she was being honest she missed him, missed his touch.

Samael smiled. 

"I'm not sure if you remember what today is?"

Namaah narrowed her eyes. 

"Don't insult me Samael. Today was the only reason I came, I would have left you alone if were any other day."

Samael rolled his eyes, he didn't want to argue with her today. He would get her tonight anyway, when he took control.

He smirked at her instead,

"Well then, happy anniversary." 

With a snap of his hand the gazebo light up in fairy lights. The bare table with a beautiful lace cloth. Chilled on ice was an expensive 900yr Marlow.

She grinned, and sat in her chair pulling in to the table. Not pulling out the chair or pushing it in was Samael's passive-aggressive way to show he was not happy. He didn't like confrontation as much as Michael did, but they were the eldest, they had to protect the family — even from each other.

"I'm sorry Samael. That was rude." Said Namaah reaching to touch Samael's hand as he sat. He gave her a tight smile.

"Your very lucky it's our anniversary or I would have stayed mad longer."

Her took her hand and kissed it. It sent a thrill down her grace. He continued,

"Apology accepted luv. I'm sorry. He just took you away, my twin. I can't believe he did this. I don't know if I can forgive that."

Namaah smiled. She was glad he was talking. It was little known secret but Samael was the more sensitive twin anyway.

"Well you left him alone. You didn't help him lead when he needed you. You took yourself away."

"I know. I just, if I forgive him will he learn his lesson?"

Namaah closed her eyes, peaking into Gadreel's mind. Michael seemed as torn up as Samael was about this whole thing.

Opening her eyes, she cupped Samael's cheek.

"I think he will. Don't worry I want to talk to him too. I want him to understand that it's as much my fault as it's yours. And before you object, ask yourself how much do you want me to stay the night?"

Samael grinned. He would take it. He shook his head. He settled for pouring each of them a glass of Marlow.

Raising his glass in cheers he said as they clinked,

"I've missed you."

She responded with a coy smile,

"And I you."


	34. Chapter 34

"How could you do that? How could you consciously break a soul-bond? How could you destroy a relationship and live with yourself?"

Raphael inwardly groaned. He looked from his vantage point out the window to see the sun high. Azazel had been pacing and yelling at him for two hours, this had to end.

"I could live with it because I had you."

Azazel stopped pacing and glared at him. 

"Oh no, don't you think your getting out of this. Your going to sit and listen to me lecture you till I lose my voice."

Azazel wagged his finger at him. Raphael had a brilliant idea, he grabbed the finger and pulled Azazel closer and using his surprise to pin him on the bed.

Raphael loomed over him.

"Or till you're mouth is otherwise occupied." 

Azazel glared and made a strangled noise as Raphael's hand started to travel lower down his form. Quickly undoing his buttons. Azazel shook his head, Raphael nodded giving him a wicked grin.

Raphael kissed him, putting all of his lust and love into it, it worked for a while. Azazel responded. He groaned into the kiss, and tore at Raphael's clothes till they came off. 

Azazel skimmed his hand down Raphael's chest, gently gliding his nails down his stomach. Raphael hissed.

Azazel flipped them over, he sucked at Raphael's neck making him moan. Azazel smiled and bit down hard, making him gasp. He pulled away suddenly keeping Raphael pinned in the position.

Raphael growled, Azazel winked and shook his head.

"I told you not to try. I told you I'd lecture you." Azazel paused and his face became soft, but he didn't give him an inch. Raphael would make him lose control again. Azazel had almost forgotten the reason Raphael was doing this, almost.

Azazel kissed him deeply. Raphael responded pulling hard on Azazel's lower lip. Azazel was alert for any tricks. Raphael was very good with his hands. But Raphael didn't use his hands, he used his teeth and bit hard on Azazel's lower lip making him pull away.

"Ow."

"Let me up Azazel."

"Please just tell me why."

"Let me up."

"No. Now tell me."

Raphael sighed throwing his head back in exasperation. Azazel liked his lips forcing himself not to suck and lick the Hickey that was forming.

"He seemed desperate. He kept coming to me. He asked me at least a hundred different times. The 100th time he got on his knees and begged me, crying. How do I deny a brother when he cries for help? Tell me Azazel, if you know the secret please tell me."

Azazel smiled and rested his forehead with Raphael's. 

"The secret is that your principle or want should be stronger than your love for them."

"Was that how you were able to leave me?"

Azazel could sense a trap but he answered honestly anyway.

"Yes."

"And now, do you have anything that strong?"

Azazel shook his head.

"No, you're the most important thing in my life. It's you above all, like the way it should be."

Raphael stared at him for a long time. Finally he nodded.

"Good. I'll try to do the same for you. You deserve that."

Azazel smiled satisfied and closed the distance capturing Raphael's lips. Thus their dance of tug-a-war began anew.


	35. Chapter 35

Castiel sat in the grass. He didn't feel like going back to heaven. He didn't feel like making the effort to connect with his brothers and sisters. Not today.

So Castiel hugged his legs and sat on a cliff at the edge of the world. He stared at the stars and northern lights dancing across the sky. 

Durmiel came to sit next to him. He turned to Castiel a smile on his face.

"Well what do you think?"

"It's beautiful. You have good taste Durmiel."

Durmiel ducked his head to hide his blush. He knew he wasn't being fair to this Castiel taking him to places he wouldn't remember coming to, but he couldn't help it. Durmiel took a deep breath, at least Castiel's personality hadn't changed. The Castiel he knew would have wanted to get him to know him again, for the bond to not leave, at least he hoped that's what he would have wanted.

Durmiel forced a smile. 

"So tell me about Dean, do you love him little brother?" 

Castiel's eyes widened. He shook his head. He stretched his legs out and lay his palms on the ground leaning back.

"Not like you're implying brother."

"Then why did you rebuff Hannah? Surely you don't think it a sin for angles to love?"

Castiel turned to him.

"I think it to be the reason angels were created. To love, love unconditionally and fully those who couldn't love themselves."

Durmiel's heart flipped, that was something the old Castiel believed in as well. He had been the one to convince him of it to begin with. But Durmiel forced himself to stay in the present.

"So why turn her away then? She obviously likes you."

Now it was Castiel's turn to blush.

"I— I don't think she's the one as humans say."

Durmiel smiled,

"You think she's not the one you want to spend eternity with?"

Castiel shook his head. 

"How did you know? How did you know when you found that person?"

Durmiel grimaced. 

"Oh Castiel the ways you changed my life!" He thought.

Out loud he said,

"I knew when I couldn't think of my duty anymore. When I closed my eyes all I saw was y— that person. I knew when Father's love wasn't enough." Durmiel whispered holding Castiel's eyes. Castiel could count the number of eyelashes on Durmiel's vessel's eyes. They stayed like that, staring at each other till Castiel's shrill ringtone made them both jump.

"Dean? Adam is what? Alright I'm on my way."

Castiel hung up and got up, and stared at Durmiel who didn't move from the ground. He stared up at Castiel. His eyes impassive he didn't seem to mind that Castiel was leaving. 

A nervous look crossed Castiel's face. He knew he hadn't known this angel for long but he had to ask to clear his conscience.

"You seemed to know me. You cried when you saw me. Have I pained you in any way?"

Durmiel jumped up to stand in front of him. 

"No brother. No of course not. I just didn't understand your motives, that's all."

"Surely if I ask Raphael for the memories he'll give them back to me? And then we can both see why."

"No, I hurt you, I hurt you enough for you to ask for them to be taken away, promise me you won't ask for them until your sure you want to see that."

He said knowing it to be a lie, knowing even still that Raphael was exerting his control. But he couldn't do that to Castiel. He couldn't destroy him like that. 

Castiel nodded seriously. He continued a small smile on his face.

"Would like to join me at the Winchesters? The more angels that help the easier it is."

Durmiel nodded and absentmindedly ran his hand through Castiel's tattered wings.

"Yes. I think that will be a good idea. Your wings are in tatters, you should really take better care of them."

He murmured. Durmiel quickly pulled away. His eye widened at what he'd done. Touching an Angels wings were huge. It was a sign of trust to groom another angel's wings. 

Castiel wasn't paying attention. His mind didn't remember him, by his grace did. His wings shivered under the touch. They responded by opening and curving over them both, almost as if they were being ready to be groomed.

Castiel opened his eyes, and smiled. He had made a decision, he would try to get to know this angel again. He held out his hand and Durmiel smiled and took it and together they flew to the Winchester bunker.


	36. Chapter 36

Lucifer lay in a hotel. A plush satin comforter under his back. His hands behind his head as he stared at the canopy ceiling. He moved to sit up, he was restless.

Father was captured, and his brothers were acting like nothing was wrong. Like he didn't matter. He could understand why, they were in shock. But that didn't excuse they're behavior. Lucifer clenched his hands, frost started to permeate through the room.

Lucifer got up and started to pace, the friction from his grace slowly melting the air. His hands clenching and unclenching as he walked.

He could see why his brothers were acting the way they were. It was too much to think how easily their father was captured — like a common animal. But didn't they know that if they wanted things to change they needed to act? To take what they wanted back, fuck the odds. 

How he begged, pleaded with that councilman Vaatu. Lucifer seethed at the name. 

He looked up at the window and suddenly lost his anger, he felt empty. His arm held the bed for support as his legs buckled.

Sliding down to the floor, he felt the room begin to spin, the sun rising outside the only constant. With all his might Lucifer tried to not focus on it, but he couldn't help it. 

He started to pray, he knew what came after this, the memories of happiness, of freedom, of love... Of her.

He locked himself in a fetal position. Before he had been caged he had loved another angel, she had been an angel of the Sun and holy fire. After she had fallen, she had been too good for hell and too bad for heaven, so she had become an in-between a Fae. Her name was Diana.

Lucifer pulled himself inward harder, he didn't need the memories to taunt him again. Michael had done that enough, twisting the wingful of happy memories into despondent horror. Making him seem like her victim, an unwitting ally to help her destroy everything, he made him try to see her as a raging succubus.

But Lucifer knew that whatever Michael did wasn't real. That Diana wouldn't come to earth for him. Not anymore, not when they had two pieces of hope to protect.

"Heleil? Heleil wake up it's a nightmare!" Hands came onto his shoulders and started to tug on him trying to pull him out of the nightmarish current of his thoughts.

He blinked pulling himself apart. Moving he sat up and turned around to see a girl. It took him a few moments to figure out that it was his sister in a vessel.

"Amitiel." He groaned trying to stand up.

"No. Heliel your hurt. Let me help you. Don't move."

Lucifer shook his head and tried to push her hands away. Amitiel rolled her eyes and pulled him up and gently dumped him on the bed. 

She sat on the edge of the bed watching him. He slowly got up, the usual snarky demure had vanished. When he met her eyes he looked exhausted, the weight of his life falling on him like pieces of glass. Sharp and drawing blood.

"So what was the nightmare about?"

He sighed and moved to get up, she put a hand on his arm. He shook it off and leaned back against the headboard. 

"Diana. Michael took some pleasure in trying to destroy her in my mind, but thankfully it didn't stick, it's now just residual nightmares."

Amitiel grimaced at the thought of Micheal's anger. 

"She's safe right? You told me you made her leave. After—"

Lucifer got up and went to the window. His hands clasped behind his back. He said,

"Yes I forced her to leave. She couldn't stay, not when we had two important people to protect."

Amitiel gave his back a pitying smile.

"How are they, the children?"

Lucifer turned and shook his head. "I don't know. All I can hope is that Oberon took her in. That no one knows, they will be hunted and persecuted by heaven, hell, and him if it was found out. I couldn't risk it."

"How do you know she's even alive?"

"I don't. But I can't dwell on that. If I do I'll lose what little sanity I have left."

Amitiel got up and put a hand on his arm, his head turned to look at her.

"You can't tell them. They'll hunt them, use them. Your one of the few people that know."

She smiled. "Don't worry Helel, I won't jeopardize my title as godmother by spilling our treasure."

He smiled his eyes shined, and he pulled into her a hug. He was eternally grateful that at least one of his siblings had never abandoned him or lost their love for him.


	37. Chapter 37

Zia ran through the forest, as fast as her legs would take her. Suddenly the trees thinned and she saw the bunker. She whooped and raced toward it, Nero and Kiana coming on and running along either side of her.

She burst through the door of the bunker to see Dean, Sam and Michael and Samael milling around.

Before she could be happy to see everyone Dean gripped her shoulders and asked,

"Do you know what Ascension is?"

Zia blinked and nodded.

"How do you know about it?"

"Adam. He wanted to ascend." Said Sam sitting on the couch, his face in his hands.

"What happens to them?" Asked Dean.

Nero and Zia exchanged a look, worried.

Kiana rolled her eyes and answered,

"Their soul is cut out and bonded with a DNA strain of a low class Exalted. A new body is manufactured for them. It looks the same as the original body but with a few enhancements — more intelligent, faster reflexes excreta, excreta." She waved a dismissive hand.

Sam and Dean looked at each other, they knew from experience that tampering with souls were a bad idea.

"So will they remember their past?" Asked Sam finally his eyebrows pinched in worry.

Kiana shrugged. "Not sure, I've never asked any of them."

"We don't."

They all turned to see Cyrus and Soren leading the Ascension toward them.

"I told you to not bring him. He's a liability." 

Said Kiana her hands on her hips as she glared at Soren. 

"Look he had vital information. Besides he's risking a lot to come help us." Said Soren.

"And what if he's conning you?" Asked Kiana.

"I'm not. Why do you want to know about Ascenion?"

The Ascenion ignored the children and came to stand in front of Dean.

"It's my brother, he was taken by Aldonai. Aldonai promised him Ascenion, he wanted to do it to get Michael back I guess."

Said Dean rubbing his neck sharing a look with Sam who nodded. His eyebrows knitted in worry.

Michael and Samael shared a look. His eyes wide in shock, and Samael smirking.

"How do we reverse it?"

The Ascenion wasn't listening. He was falling, his thoughts swirled. Aldonai wasn't capable of such brutish acts. He wouldn't do something so fundamentally against his nature, would he? Did he do it to protect him? Had Vaatu found out about his plan?

The Ascenion blinked to see everyone staring at him. His cheeks heated up.

"Sorry what was the question?"

Dean rolled his eyes and Sam repeated the question.

"Is there a way to reverse the Ascenion?"

The Ascenion shook his head.

"Not one I know of."

Sam and Dean shared a look. 

"Well if we find Adam can we at least save him? We can bring him home right?"

Asked Michael turning to look at everyone except Samael who was shaking his head.

The Ascenion shrugged his head.

"We never got your name, and I'm sorry for almost rotting your mind."

Said Michael.

The Ascenion shrugged.

"It's cool. I find it interesting to see how the inhabitants of each world react and act. And my name is Atlas."

Atlas turned and looked at Sam.

"As for remembering. I don't remember my past. We Ascenions serve as servants, as the help for the world Yahweh comes from — Azarath."


	38. Chapter 38

Becky sat alone day after day. She didn't know how much time had passed. All she knew that Yahweh hadn't come, had either consciously or forcibly broken his promise to her. So now she waited, alone at the edge of the universe. 

Except today, today was different from any other day. Today was the day she would be alone no longer. 

As Becky sat on the hill looking at the stars swirling in the night sky, she felt a presence alight down behind her. She turned around to see what she presumed to be an angel.

"Who are you?"

The angel came closer and squatted to her eye level. 

"I could ask you the same thing sister, who are you?"

Becky's eyes widened. No angel had referred to her as a sister before.

"What? No. I'm not an angel."

The man smiled. "I know. But aren't we all God's children? That would make you my sister does it not?"

Becky swallowed and managed to nod.

The man sat down next to her and extend his hand. She grasped it.

"My name is Ridwan. You must be Becky."

"D-did Chuck er God send you?"

"No. But I like to come here to think, it's far enough away from my brothers and sisters that I can be in peace. Not that they seek me out anyway. But it's quiet and beautiful here."

Ridwan leaned back and stared up at the swirling sky. 

"Why do your brothers and sisters not bother you?"

Ridwan gave her a sideways glance an amused smile playing on his lips. 

"Our brothers and sisters."

Becky rolled her eyes.

"Fine our brothers and sisters."

Ridwan looked back up at the sky and shrugged, 

"Simple. They think I'm a myth."

"A myth? Why do they think that?"

Ridwan gave her another cryptic smile.

"Because I haven't interacted with them in many millennia."

Becky pressed on.

"Why?"

Ridwan looked at her. He hadn't talked to another soul about this, but it might do him good to talk to someone. After all he would say that it's not good to hold everything inside. He would say to let another person in, so he wasn't alone.

Ridwan looked down at the grass. He picked at it. A rueful thought bubbled to the surface from the reassess of his mind.

"I wasn't alone, not when I had you."

He took a deep breath and looked at Becky a forced smile on his face.

"Okay babe you win. I'll try it your way."  
He thought.

"Do you ever wonder where this place come from?" Asked Ridwan gesturing to the lush foliage around them. 

Becky scrunched up her face thoughtfully.

"Now that you mention it, I don't think Chuck mentioned it."

"That bastard wouldn't mention it, just like the coward he is." Ridwan thought.

Out loud he said a slow smile spreading on his face. This time it wasn't forced.

"Would you like to know? Would you like to know how the universe really came to be Becky?"

Becky nodded vigorously. A notepad and pen materializing out of nowhere.

"Yes."

"So do you know the story of the Darkness?"

"Vaguely, God imprisoned it with the help of his archangels. Right?"

Ridwan nodded.

"After that he created heaven for the Angels, and purgatory for the Leviathans. But he needed to anchor both parts the good — heaven and the bad — purgatory to things—"

Becky furrowed her brow. 

"What do you mean anchor?"

Ridwan sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"I mean that we were created to keep The Natural Order. To keep things in check. To keep balance."

Becky remained silent for few minutes. Finally she said,

"Okay two questions, one how did you keep The Natural Order in check? And two, what do you mean by we?"

Ridwan closed his eyes.

"I slipped. I don't want to talk about that. About you to this girl, this stranger."

Slowly he opened his eyes and said.

"The Natural Order refers to the law that keeps the universe in balance. Basically it's so no one side gets too powerful. We theoretically would punish or reward either side based on who was weakest at the moment. We keep everything in balance, heaven, hell, good, bad, life and death. You get the idea right?"

"So any eye for an eye?"

"Yes, basically." Ridwan snapped. He sighed rubbing his hands over his face.

"I'm sorry. You've been nothing but hospitable and here I am being rude."

Becky gave him a smile, almost as if she understood.

"So... Who is we?"

Ridwan stayed quiet for a long time. He picked at the grass and then leaned back, his head on his arms to see the sky above them. 

Finally he took a shaky breath in and sat up looking at Becky.

"So I was the anchor for the good, for heaven. I was its caretaker in a way. And... Malik—" he swallowed. "Malik was the anchor the caretaker of Purgatory. Father created this place for us. To be together. Because in the beginning there was no hell, no demons. There was just us. And we were free."

"You love him don't you?" Becky whispered despite herself.

Ridwan chuckled, love didn't even begin to qualify what he felt for him. Love hadn't compelled him to record his days, all his days no matter how monotonous. Love hadn't pushed him away from heaven. Love hadn't made him resent the being that created him. 

But he had no other word for what he felt. So he supposed that love would do for now, till he found a better word. 

Ridwan laid on his back. He stared at the sky. He could still feel the echoes of Malik's lips on him, his breath hot on his skin, his laughter quiet in his ears. Ridwan turned and gave Becky a lopsided smile. 

"More than there are words to write and stars in the sky."

Becky blinked and flashed him a grin.

"Damn that's poetic. Do you mind if I write that down?"

Ridwan shook his head, he had wrote many "romantic" things like that over the many millennia. One phrase wasn't going to take away from it.

"So... What happened? It seems by all indications you both were happy."

"God. God happened. Apparently we were becoming to close, to connected to each other. The universe was becoming unstable, so he decided to separate us. Keep the good and bad from infecting each other."

Ridwan rolled his eyes and continued, 

"If there is anything I've learned from watching humanity it's that good and bad flourish when they're together. When they're allowed to exist side by side. Maybe if God hadn't imprisoned The Darkness and perhaps created heaven and humanity side by side with it, maybe we wouldn't be in this predicament."

"How exactly did he separate you guys?"

Ridwan grimaced as if the memory was still fresh in his mind. Which for all in intents and purposes for a being like him it might very well be.

"He had to still keep Malik alive and doing a job. He couldn't just stick him in Purgatory and ask him to fend for himself. So he made him Death."

"Death? What do you mean?"

Ridwan sighed and glared at her.

"I mean Death, the horseman. God made it so that he wouldn't remember any of his previous life with me. But I made Malik promise on one of our last meetings that he would write everyday that we were apart, so that we could see the each other journey from the beginning. Feel as if no time had passed."

"How did you know you guys were going to see each other again?"

"I didn't. I just couldn't lose him, and I was desperate."

"Didn't you say God took away his memories? That he forgot everything about you?"

Ridwan nodded. "But he wasn't all bad, like everything he had a silver lining. He made sure Death remembered the promise and last time I checked, which was a few millennia ago he was still writing. Though he couldn't tell you why."

Becky looked away. This Chuck didn't sound like her Chuck. It didn't sound like this being was even capable of love from the way he had acted. 

"The world is going to end isn't it? That's why He hasn't come."

Ridwan gave her a sideways glance.

"He's been captured Becky. The archangels are trying to figure out what to do without worrying all of heaven."

Becky suddenly brightened, she had an idea. 

"No one deserves to be alone. Go find the Winchesters. They can help you. You never know, if you help keep the world from ending God might give Malik back to you."

Ridwan internally cringed. He didn't like others using Malik's name. He guessed it couldn't be helped though. 

"God wouldn't do that and shame on you for trying to give me false hope."

Ridwan whined morosely.

"He will if I ask, if The Council forces him to. Trust me, Malik is coming back to you one way or another. I promise you."

Ridwan narrowed his eyes at her. He wanted to wound her.

"And what can you, a petty human do?"

Becky smiled wider, 

"Don't you know not to underestimate me brother? After all humans have survived one apocalypse thus far, we can survive everything. We will always prevail, and we'll make sure all of our family follows."

Ridwan didn't have words for that. He could feel himself tearing up and he roughly pulled her into a hug. Becky smiled into his neck. She had meant what she said, too long she had watched others suffer for this so called Natural Order. It ended now, she would make sure Chuck payed for what he did. She swore this on her dying breath. 

"Thank you." He whispered.

She pulled away laughing quietly to herself. She looked at him.

"Just promise me that you'll bring him here. I would like to meet him."

Ridwan got up and nodded. 

"I promise little sister."


	39. Chapter 39

Sariel and Asmodeous shared a glance and smiled.

Belial strode into the room. Her thigh-high dress swirling around her legs. 

"Well how does this work? Can you even revive Death?"

Asmodeous shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Sariel's the one with the spell."

Sariel nodded. He kissed Belial's hand by way of greeting.

"Yes. I took it from Heaven's archives. It's old so they won't miss it."

Sariel bent down and drew a pentagram. Each point held a unique symbol. One for strength, another for life and so on. The symbols glowed with a faint purple light. 

Sariel started to chant in enochian. 

The symbols started to glow brighter and Asmodeous and Belial instinctively stepped back away from the holy power. 

A white light started to fill the room, originating from the pentagram. Asmodeous and Belial shielded their eyes as best they could. Trying in vain to block out the blinding light.

As suddenly as the light appeared it disappeared in it's place stood a young man in jeans and a black top. 

He examined his arms and hands for a few moments before staring up at Sariel.

"Your not Death." Blurted out Sariel.

The man smiled. 

"No I'm not. Now tell me brother I might be mistaken but isn't it against The Natural Order to bring back those who have died?"

Asked the man pacing in the pentagram. He stopped and gave their shock faces a slow smile.

"Who are you?" Asked Asmodeous stepping forward.

The man smiled. 

"I have a better question, who are you? And where is the best people to go to find angles?"

Sariel and Asmodeous looked at each other.

"Wait, can you be Death?" Asked Belial.

The man crossed his arms raising an eyebrow.

"The Horseman? No, look I know this is probably really important issue for you guys, but I have a time limit to keep. So...."

Sariel narrowed his eyes and lunged.

The man moved and pinned him to the floor.

"Release me or I swear on that bastard of a creator I will kill him." The man said turning to Asmodeous. 

Sariel nodded at Asmodeous who scratched at the pentagram. The man strode out.

"So any indicators on where I should go?"

"Ask your angels about The Winchesters, they'll help you." said Belial coming forward. Ignoring her companions glares.

"Wait. At least tell us your name." Said Sariel getting up.

"Well little brother since you asked so nicely, my name is Malik." Malik winked giving them a mini-salute and vanishing.

He flew till he saw the familiar shape of the Winchester Bunker from angel radio. He landed in the main hall in front of a man with long hair. He was staring at a picture of a woman with blonde hair, he appeared to be crying.

"Are you a Winchester?" Asked Malik coming to stand next to him.

The man jumped and looked at him.

"Um Sam Winchester, I thought all angels knew that."

Malik rolled his eyes.

"Yeah well I've been out of commission for a while. Do you have anything to drink?"

"Uh, yeah in the kitchen, in the fridge."

Malik nodded and followed Sam's hand to the kitchen, he got a beer from the fridge and sat down facing Sam. He took a long swing of the beer, watching Sam.

He wanted to ask about him. He desperately needed to know if he was okay. Malik swallowed and watched as Sam wiped his eyes and put the picture away. But Malik had enough sense of self-preservation to see how this Sam Winchester character was before divulging anything. 

"So if you don't mind me asking little brother who was that in the picture?"

Sam just stared at him for a few moments.

"You're not like normal angels are you?"

Sam asked finally. 

Malik shook his head.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Malik."

"You really want to know?" Asked Sam fiddling with the edge of the picture.

Malik nodded. He could sense that Sam needed to talk to someone. That it had been a long time since he had, probably an even longer time since he'd even let himself look at the picture.

Sam sighed, presumedly gathering his courage, "Her name was Jessica. I was going to marry her."

"Was?" Asked Malik setting his bottle on the table. 

Sam nodded, staring down at the photo in his lap.

"She was uh, burned."

Malik nodded, he knew not to pry.

Suddenly Sam looked up his eyes swirling with emotion.

"It's been years, I've slept with other woman. And still, still I can't get her out of my mind. I feel like, like —"

"Like you can't breath without her, but when you see her that you can't calm yourself down enough to enjoy it. You feel as if there's always this dull pain in the back of your head. That sometimes you say things or have thoughts that might have been things she said, or thought?"

Finished Malik quietly. 

"Yes. Yes. Does it get easier?" Sam answered emphatically.

Malik shook his sadly.

"No never."

"Was it another angel?"

Malik smiled and nodded.

"His name is Ridwan. When father created us he said that he infused Ridwan with the grace of heaven and I with the darkness from purgatory. We are anchors for heaven and purgatory. Basically if I die purgatory breaks. Likewise for Ridwan. If he dies heaven falls."

Sam chuckled at that. 

Malik narrowed his eyes and leaned closer.

"I know you don't find Ridwan's eventual demise funny. Do you brother?"

Sam shook his head.

"Look it's just heaven beens through a lot. A second civil war. Then an angel, Metatron had a spell and made all the angels fall from heaven."

"What! My brothers and sisters have apparently forgotten the meaning of family." Hissed Malik slamming his fist on the table making the bunker shake.

Sam managed to nod, remembering that this was in fact an angel he was talking to. 

Malik's face suddenly softened, a small amused smile appeared and he got up and started to pace.

"Oh Rid what have you done?" He whispered softly.

Sam looked at him his eyes wide.

"What? What did Ridwan do?"

Malik stopped pacing and looked at him, his hands knotted behind his back. He stopped himself from glaring at Sam for using Ridwan's name. Ridwan belonged to him, no one else. He decided instead to answer Sam's question. 

"He left. He left heaven. My assumption is that he couldn't stand it, being away from me, he must have come to resent our brothers and sisters."

Malik sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"He wasn't a very talkative angel, the only person he was close to was me, and when I disappeared he probably didn't see a reason to stay in heaven. Which is why it faltered, it didn't have an anchor, it was floating through space without a direction." 

"He should have stayed! He should have put his personal reservations aside, and done it for the greater good!" 

Said Sam getting up. His hands clenching, he glared at Malik.

Malik cocked his head, staring at him.

"Is that how you see it? That Ridwan was being selfish?"

Sam felt the bile rise in this throat, his mind whirling to all the ways Ridwan could have helped, namely saved Adam from his fate. He managed to nod.

Malik shook his head.

"Ridwan and I were close—"

"You keep saying that, tell me something I don't know."

Malik smiled, and Sam shivered, there was something cold about him.

"Have you ever loved someone so much you couldn't breath? I don't mean Jessica, I mean someone else, someone closer. Someone you would sacrifice your very essence for?"

Sam's mind immediately flashed a picture of Dean.

Malik nodded, "In the short time I've been resurrected, I've gone through your records discreetly through what you and your brother call Angel Radio. I've found that you've done so much for each other, for humanity as a whole yes, but so much more for each other. Now tell me Sam what would you do if you couldn't save your bother, if he had taken Death's offer?"

"Dean wouldn't he—"

"Let's say for argument's sake he did. What would you do?"

"I would try to find him, I would try to make him come home."

Malik took a step closer, his eyes ever watchful.

"And what if he didn't want to be found? What if he didn't remember you?"

"That's not possible." Sam whispered involuntarily.

Malik shook his head, clicking his tongue. He took another step closer.

"What if it was?"

Sam couldn't even think in what universe that would happen. Surely Dean would remember something, he had to. He was his brother.

Malik gave him a half smile as he saw Sam's mind implode. He actually liked this human, he was resilient, strong in the face of danger. He didn't beg like many of his kin did when faced with the inevitability of their death. Malik admired that, but at the same time he needed Sam to see that he wasn't that special, that it wasn't just about politics and the greater good, sometimes people were selfish and it was okay.

"If Dean didn't remember you, what would you do? Would you keep fighting, saving people hunting things? Or would you walk away, live a normal life?"

Sam shook his head, "I would do neither, I would try to make him remember."

"What if it was catastrophic if he remembered, what if it would put the whole of humanity in jeopardy."

"I don't care, I would deal with the consequences later. I would do anything to bring my brother back!"

Malik smiled, he had won.

"Ah, see it would hurt humanity but you would risk that to be with your brother. Just as Ridwan would risk heaven being destroyed to be with me."

Sam opened his mouth to protest, but he couldn't see anyway else his words could be interpreted. He sat down hard the realization literally knocking him off his feet.

Malik squeezed his shoulder, and sat down in front of him again.

"Father pulled us away from each other. He made me Death." 

Malik held up a hand staving off any questions as Sam's head snapped up his eyes wide.

"We were ruining his creation. The why is not really important." Said Malik waving a dismissive hand.

"What happened after is. Before he made me Death, Father gave Ridwan and I one last opportunity to meet. Father told Ridwan if he ever tried to find me, contact me, or try to get my memory back, he would take me and stick me in Purgatory. I told Father I didn't care where he stuck me, so long as he didn't hurt Ridwan. Father agreed. Ridwan made me promise I would write everyday that we were apart so we wouldn't miss a second of time away from each other. I made him promise to do the same. He begrudgingly agreed. By Father's curse or blessing that's the only thing I did remember, I didn't know why but I was compelled to write everyday. 

Anyway, my only assumption is that shortly after I was turned into Death, Ridwan left heaven in protest. He never contacted me, or tried to find me to my knowledge, but he did the only thing he could do, which was silently leave our brothers and sisters in the hands of the Archangels."

Malik paused a moment to let that sink in.

"Was he selfish? Yes. Was it probably not the best idea? Absolutely. Do I blame him for the subsequent events that unfolded? No. No I don't, because I understand he loved me above all else. I would have done the same if I was in that situation. Do I feel bad that our little brothers and sisters payed the price for our selfishness? Yes, but not enough to feel riddled with guilt. That is where we differ Sam Winchester. 

I know who I am, I know where I stand relative to my other Angel brethren. I know what I am willing to give up for others. You don't, and until you figure that out you're always going to be consumed by your guilt."

Malik got up and stretched as Sam wondered how this had turned into a lesson for him.

"Mal was always fond of teaching lessons to the younger Angels."

Said a voice coming from the hallway, the man strode in coming to stand near the table.

Sam presumed this to be Ridwan by the look of shock on Malik's face.

Malik and Ridwan looked at each other. Ridwan gave Malik a sheepish smile and Malik laughed and ran around the table and hugged him.

They pulled away,

"I'm sorry I forgot you. I'm so sorry Rid."

Ridwan shook his head, wiping Malik's tears away.

"It wasn't your fault it was his. I'm just sorry my anger hurt our brothers and sisters."

Malik shot Sam a look.

"It's okay Rid I don't blame you, truly I know why you did it."

Ridwan smiled.

"And before you ask Mal, I was alone for most of our time apart but I'd like to think I made a tentative friendship. Would you like to meet her?"

Malik nodded, gently tracing patterns into Ridwan's hands.

"Yes I would love to."

Malik turned to Sam.

"Please don't hesitate to call us. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but Sam I couldn't see you burn out." Ridwan gave him a reassuring smile.

They turned back to each other. Smiling and holding hands, they vanished.

Only after the flutter of wings had gone did Sam remember that he never got to ask Malik about being Death. Sam shook his head, Dean was not going to believe this.


	40. Chapter 40

Adonai and Vaatu stood in the examination room. Adam sat on the examination table, motionless.

Aldonai's stomach churned as he stood and watched as Adam was Ascended. Adam didn't cry or plead for it to be over. All he did was let out a long wail and then stayed silent.

Aldonai had to fight the urge to vomit at the process. How could he let himself comprise his principles? How could he stand by and watch as an innocent sentient life form was corrupted? 

Vaatu displayed a cold smile the whole time Adam was Ascended. It tickled him how Aldonai used this procedure as a way to torture himself for his actions. Vaatu knew he would do it, love made people do insane things even cast aside their morals. It gave Vaatu endless hours of amusement.

As the final touches were being done to Adam's now Ascended body, a sentinel came into the room. He cast a curious eye at Adam but remained mum till Vaatu looked at him.

"It's Brahman my lord, it appears Yahweh still won't talk."

Vaatu swore banging his fist on the table, rattling it.

"Why does it matter if Yahweh talks?" 

Asked Adam quietly.

"Because if Yahweh doesn't talk I won't know how to purge this world."

"Why do you need him? Can't you just destroy it?"

Vaatu shook his head.

"No. Each God creates a self destruct mechanism into their world, they're forced to by The Council. If Vaatu wants to really purge this world, he's going to need to know how, if he just destroys it, there's a risk of matter lingering."

Supplied Aldonai getting a nod of approval from Vaatu. It made more bail churn in his gut. He sounded like a tool from the council. He sounded like everything he hated.

Vaatu took Adam's face in his hand and forced him to look at him.

"Now, I want you to do something for me, try and convince your brothers to Ascend. Tell them if they don't I will personally destroy the planet."

Adam blinked, "How will you do that if Yahweh doesn't tell you how?"

Vaatu smiled like a Cheshire Cat. Adam was smart and observant.

"I will find a way to destroy it with or without Yahweh's cooperation. See to it that it doesn't happen. Only you can prevent it Adam. Do you accept my request?"

Vaatu let his chin go and took a step back, watching him.

Adam's eyes shinned, he wanted nothing more than to please Vaatu. Vaatu after all was his friend, he had saved and shown him a better life, a richer perspective.

Vaatu took a step and whispered in his ear.

"I'll even sweeten the deal, if you bring me your brothers and the Angels I'll let you have Michael."

Michael. That name rang a bell in Adam's mind. It reminded why he had ascended in the first place. Oh Vaatu was so good to him! The least he could do was give him his brothers! And soon, so very soon Adam could feel it on his skin Michael would be his all his. 

Adam nodded. "I can do that Master."

Vaatu grinned, "Please what's formality among friends? Call me Master Vaatu Adam."


	41. Chapter 41

"Okay what do you know about Ancients? Specifically Reborn Ancients?"

Asked Cyrus to Kiana. He, Nero, Zia, and Soren were sitting at one of the tables at the Winchester bunker library. Sam, Dean, and Atlas sat at the other table listening and waiting. 

"Well I know that the Ancients came to our world and using their power took the tiny bits of light that escaped a blackhole and animated them into people."

"Wait no light ever escapes a black hole." Said Sam. 

Kiana rolled her eyes, "Yes it does. Your telescopes are just too primitive to see it."

Cyrus ignored the exchange and instead nodded seriously making a note of what Kiana said in one of the journals he borrowed from Sam.

"Okay what else?" 

Kiana put a finger to her lips thinking.

"I know that it was foretold that when an Ancient was reborn they would be accompanied." 

Offered Nero his hands twitching on the table. His nails had been bitten to the quick, his eyes darted around the room as if he hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. 

Cyrus wrote it down and Zia voiced Sam and Dean's confusion.

"What do you mean accompanied?"

"He means that every known story or account of a Reborn has a companion. This person serves as their protector, and occasionally their confidant." Supplied Kiana surprisingly friendly.

"Well okay, let's think if Yahweh saved Cyrus would he have also saved the companion?"  
Asked Atlas coming around the other table to lean on theirs.

"Why would he save the companion? What does he gain? The companion seems dispensable to me." Said Soren, getting up to look at the notes Cyrus had written down.

"What if this companion is you?" Asked Sam quietly. 

"What?" Asked Dean.

"No think about it Dean. The only other person with a no offense shady past besides Cyrus is Soren. I don't really buy the whole Mars story to be honest."

Said Sam getting up and pacing. 

"Well there is a way to find out, I stole this from Father when we were on the ship. It's old, apparently only a companion can read it, not even a reborn can."

Nero said getting up and rummaging through the bag he had Cyrus hide when they had run away.

He placed it in front of Soren who looked a little bewildered and a tad overwhelmed by the whole concept. The cover was worn but the title was still somewhat legible. 

Cyrus couldn't read it, it seemed like a mass of symbols and swirls to him. He had never had trouble before, after he had come to earth he had realized that he actually had the ability to read, no doubt a gift from Yahweh.

"It says in the Ancients we trust, in the light we live, and in the chaos we change." Spoke Soren quietly.

Nero and Zia flashed a grin at each other. Soren and Cyrus shared a wide eyed look of shock.

"What? Why are two so excited?" Asked Kiana despite herself.

"Because now our plan can actually work! We can finally take back our planet and give it to our people!" Blurted out Zia in delight. 

"Look I don't care if you're on our side or not, but I swear you better not mess this up." Said Nero leaning toward Kiana.

Kiana sighed and shook her head.

"Look, it's no secret I want mother's title, but I don't see how infighting will solve anything. If we can work together maybe we have a chance at changing things. What do you say Zia?"

She looked at Zia. She had gotten off the wrong foot with her, she genuinely did want to get to know her, even if she was the competition; she was still family. 

Zia nodded and leaned forward with a smile.

"Please call me Z."

"Wait, wait hold on, how does your plan help us here and now? You know with the impeding apocalypse?" Asked Dean.

Zia smiled sweetly, "It helps you because not only can we finally take away our parent's stronghold on power, we can also stop the apocalypse. That is provided they both want to help?" 

Said Zia turing toward Cyrus and Soren. They both exchanged a long look, finally turning back to Zia they both nodded.

"I want to make sure nothing like this happens to any more Reborns. I want to protect the people, I want to give them a voice." Added Cyrus firmly leaning forward while Soren leafed through the book.

"It's settled then, we'll start your training tomorrow at dawn."

Said Nero getting up and placing his hands face down on the table, while he leaned forward.


	42. Chapter 42

Vaatu left the examination room and walked down the stairs to the holding cell. Brahman stood waiting for him. Vaatu gave him a reassuring smile.

"I don't think I ever properly thanked you for brining Aldonai's foolish plan to my attention. Without you, I would have lost everything. So thank you Brahman. Now here is your gift, I'll deal with Yahweh you go and spend some much deserved time with your daughter." 

Brahman blinked and bowed to Vaatu and hurried away. Vaatu watched him go and with a flick of his wrist the cameras died and a soundproof barrier was created between them.

"Why send your minions to do the dirty work when you can do it so much better." Called a voice from inside the holding cell.

"My thoughts exactly. Come now Yahweh you're out of tricks. Surely you know you can't change anything? Your beloved children have failed. Admit defeat and I might let you live."

Yahweh came and held the bars his bright blue eyes trying to borrow a hole into Vaatu's skull.

"What happened to you Vaatu? What happened to my sweet, moral Vaatu?"

Vaatu's throat constricted. He tried to swallow the lump away.

"He died when you left."

Yahweh held tighter to the bars, making them burn.

"I didn't leave. I never would have left you, I would have stayed. You forced me away when you chose her."

He didn't bother to hide his contempt.

Vaatu rolled his eyes he was used to the mind games.

"Just tell me how to destroy the world."

"You know the reason Lucifer is cold is because I infused his grace with actual stardust? Coincidently the reason he shines so bright." Offered Yahweh by way of answer.

Vaatu groaned. 

"Yahweh I'm serious. Please?"

"You know what Lucifer's angelic name was? Heliel. I named him Helel."

Vaatu stopped caring for a moment about his obligation and stilled letting that piece of information sink in.

"What?" He whispered. He took a involuntary step closer. 

Yahweh nodded. 

"Yes. I wanted him to be perfect and beautiful for you. After all you were one who chose the name."

Vaatu's mind wandered to that memory.

They were lying in a clearing in the forest, the stars surrounding them.

Yahweh turned to him and kissed their joined hands.

"If you could name one of the stars what would you name it?"

Vaatu stared at them and spoke softly as if he knew his next words were meaningful and would shape the events to come.

"I would name it Helel. Father told me the youngest Ancient was called Helel he was supposedly a great ruler. The last great Ancient to rule."

"I like it. Helel. It has a nice ring to it."

Vaatu blinked and turned away, tears in his eyes. 

"So you still do care." Said Yahweh softly.

"Of course I do! I love you Yahweh." Stated Vaatu losing any manner of precedent.

"Then why all this? Why punish me? Why not help me save my creation? Why not help Cyrus take back control?"

"You know I can't do that. I have an obligation, I have a job and responsibility. I can't ruin Raava's order."

Yahweh smiled. 

"It seems to me that you're making excuses. After all you were the one that told me that order and chaos were meant to exist together. I see order where is the chaos Vaatu? Have you forgotten your role, you were not meant to be merely Raava's consort, but to be her opposite. You were meant to challenge her order at times to promote change. Now is the perfect time. Show me you still remember Vaatu. Show me you are truly the Lord of Shadow."


	43. Chapter 43

Brahman and Asherah stood in one of the few alcoves hidden from camera and recording devices.

"Asherah I don't see how this is helping. We could get caught or worse killed for this." Hissed Brahman, glancing around the empty hallway feverishly.

Asherah rolled her eyes, and grabbed his shoulders making him tense.

"Do you want to be on the wrong side of history? I know for a fact that those children are planning something. If we help them, we could right some wrongs."

"And I could get my children's respect again." She thought internally. 

"Wrongs? What wrongs?" Brahman's voice pitched an octave higher.

"Let's start with the fact that Vaatu has coerced you into letting your daughter be his son's bride. Or that Elohim has to stand by as Draven is terminated."

"Well if you feel so strongly about this why don't you invite Elohim for your uprising?"

"Becuause I would need support. And as much of a coward you are, you still have weight. You get us information that's classified even from someone like Elohim. No one will suspect you Brahman. Unless your honestly telling me that you're okay with your daughter becoming part of that family?"

Brahman sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What would you have me do?"

"First we free the children including your daughter and then we go to Elohim and pray he agrees with our plan."

Brahman gave her a brisk nod, and then they both peered through the hallway and went and found Jiva. Brahman opened the cell door. 

Jiva let out a chocked sob and ran and hugger her father.

"I'm so sorry for how I acted! Please forgive me father!!

Brahman awkwardly patted her on the back shooting a glance at Asherah, who rolled her eyes at Jiva's dramatics.

"Relax Jiva we're here to rescue you not turn you over to Vaatu."

Sighed Asherah. 

Jiva stepped away and straightened her clothes. Her face calm losing any evidence of the hysteria that gripped her moments ago.

"Well in that case, what are we waiting for? Let's go."

Brahman was about to reply when a new voice cut him off.

"What do you think you're doing?" 

Asked Elohim coming from the shadows.

Asherah and Brahman shared a wide eyed look.

Elohim rubbed his hands while smiling gleefully,

"Well Vaatu will love this. Both of you going against orders especially you Asherah. He's been looking for a reason to get rid of you."

Asherah looked to Brahman who didn't meet her eyes.

"Well we're trying to save her, we could save Draven too Elohim. Unless you like being Vaatu's attack dog?"

Elohim glared at her.

"What does that mean? You think I'm stupid enough to help you when my son's life hangs in the balance? I'm not willing to risk his life for your foolish plan."

"It's not foolish brother." Said another voice.

Elohim, Brahman, Asherah turned to see Aldonai leaning on the wall. In his hand he loosely held a folded piece of paper.

"What the hell are you talking about Aldonai?" Hissed Elohim. His body tensing ready for any unforeseen attacks from Vaatu who he presumed to be listening. He was always listening. 

Losing Draven would destroy him but seeing is baby brother getting himself killed would break him. He couldn't afford that. Yahweh and he might have vast differences in opinions on everything, except when it came to Aldonai. When it came to him they both agreed that he needed to be kept safe at all costs. At least the Yahweh that had fled their home, that had ran away from Vaatu and Raava's rage had made him that promise. Elohim tried not to dwell on how much Yahweh might of changed in the million of years he hadn't seen him.

Aldonai pushing himself off the wall and showed them all the note.

"Atlas left me this. It's a note saying he and the children minus Jiva and Draven were going to escape and mount an attack from the outside with the help of the inhabitants in Yahweh's world."

Aldonai purposefully forgoed the usual trickery when it came to Atlas. There was no time to pretend anything other than what was. If Elohim understood why Atlas was leaving him a note he didn't comment on that. Instead he turned and asked Asherah with a sigh,

"You have a plan?"

Asherah nodded. 

She opened her mouth to tell him presumably when her eyes focused on something to the left of his shoulder, and she froze.

Elohim gritted his teeth. He was getting really sick and tired of people popping up out of nowhere and interrupting everything.

At least he was getting tired of it till Aldonai let out a strangled gasp of,

"Weh?" Elohim pivoted and turned to see Yahweh in the flesh and relatively alright.

Yahweh nodded at Aldonai with a tight smile. His arms crossed he turned his eyes to Elohim and didn't move.

Elohim and Yahweh sized each other up, Elohim hadn't been allowed to see Yahweh when he had been taken, and when they had seen each other on Yahweh's world Elohim had been too preoccupied with making sure Draven was alright to really register anything else.

But now Elohim had time, albeit very little till Vaatu realized that Yahweh had escaped but time nonetheless.

"How—how did you escape?" Whispered Elohim taking a step closer and touching Yahweh's cheek.

At the question Yahweh granted him with a genuine smile when a voice answered, making them all except Yahweh tense and have a heart attack.

"I let him out." Drawled Vaatu said coming to join the group with Draven in tow who beamed at his father in joy.

Asherah almost chocked on air trying to form a sentence. While Brahman and Aldonai silently stood expecting the worst. Elohim broke the silence. 

"What? Why did he let you out?" 

Yahweh grinned at him, as if this was the stupidest question he could have asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked, pointedly opening his hand for Vaatu to grasp.

Elohim took a step back and looked between of them. He couldn't understand why Vaatu wad playing them like this. Surely if he wanted them captured by now he would have. Why play them? Didn't Vaatu know that he was loyal? Didn't Vaatu know that Elohim had no part of this? 

However, another part of his brain thought, if Vaatu had really changed and decided to help them all why was he stalling? Why was he letting them essentially stand and chatter instead of tell them to move and escape?

Vaatu gave him a sweet smile.

"Elohim you might be wondering why I'm not feeling rushed. Do you think I let out Yahweh on a whim? No, Raava is in a deep discussion with the head of her acolytes and my sentinels to reinforce security in case of an attack."

Vatatu looked to see if Elohim believed him, Vaatu didn't have much hope he would. His hunch was right, Elohim was glaring at him. In truth Vaatu had let Yahweh out on a whim, it was luck that Raava was in a meeting. A meeting with the head of his security as well. His sentinels might not understand why he had let Yahweh out, but they were nothing if not loyal. They would keep Raava in the dark till Vaatu told them otherwise, which he wasn't going to do. Not if he could help it. 

Vaatu sighed, and rolled his shoulders back. He turned to catch each Exalted's eye minus Draven. He still stood by his proclamation to Elohim, the only reason Draven wasn't terminated or still incarcerated was because he was useful. Vaatu needed his children to trust him if he was ever going to have a chance at overthrowing Raava. 

After making sure they were all on board he signaled them to follow him. He led the way to the exit and off the ship unopposed. 

After exiting he let go of Yahweh's hand as if remembering who he was. He forced himself to not let on how joyous it had been to hold his hand again.

Turning to Yahweh Vaatu clasped his hands behind his back as if to resist the temptation.

"Where to Yahweh?"

Yahweh smiled. 

"Now we find the Winchesters. They'll have a plan."


	44. Chapter 44

As Yahweh and the group got to the Winchester bunker they saw two figures whispering to each other. Yahweh swore he recognized them immediately. Even after all these millennia.

"What? What is it Weh?" Whispered Vaatu gently grazing their hands together.

"It's Ridwan and Malik."

The two figures saw them and approached their blades out and ready for a fight.

"Who?"

"They were the first angels I created. I created them to balance the universe, the good and the bad."

Vaatu hummed as they approached. Making a mental note of it. Of how much power they have off even when they were yards away. Vaatu smiled, Yahweh always had a thing for symbolism. 

"So it would be an intuitive leap to say they are your keys?"

Yahweh gave a sideways glance.

"I need to make sure Raava doesn't find them. She can't destroy the world if she can't find the keys." Supplied Vaatu.

Yahweh nodded as the approached.

"Father." One of them spit, as if the word itself was foul.

Yahweh flinched away.

"Ridwan, I see you haven't forgiven me."

"No. I haven't. The Winchesters know everything as does Becky so don't think they'll come to you with open arms."

Yahweh crossed his arms and smiled at them ruefully.

"You're right Becky might not. But the Winchesters value the greater good above all else. You're plight matters little to them in the grand schemes of things. Besides they need me to help them stop the apocalypse."

The other man Vaatu assumed to be Malik glared and morphed his blade into a Synth. 

"Try anything father and I'll kill you without a second's hesitation."

Vaatu decided to cut in now before there was a bloodbath. They were running out of time.

"Ridwan Malik do you know the scope of my powers?"

Ridwan nodded.

"You're part of the council you override him."

"I was part of it. I'm going to help you defeat The Council. Help us defeat it and I'll force Yahweh to never touch either of you again."

"How you'll have no power if we win." Said Malik.

Vaatu nodded again. "Yes I won't. But I'll have something better, Yahweh's love. He'll do anything to make me smile won't you Yahweh?" 

Vaatu purposefully grazed their hands together eliciting Yahweh to roll his eyes but begrudgingly nod.

Ridwan and Malik exchanged a look. Malik nodded to them and snapped his fingers, transporting them to Winchester's bunker. Where Raphael was telling Sam a story.

"It was because of Ridwan and Malik that we never let each other fall in love. Until one day I found an angel that pursued me, that challenged me, and frustrated me like no other. I realized what I was feeling and ran away and hid in a corner of heaven as far away from my brothers and sisters as I could. There I wept for I thought I had sinned till Ridwan came and told me of a book that was in Father's library that showed how to love another angel. I reasoned if it was in Father's library then surely it wasn't a sin.  
So I went to the library and found the book." 

Raphael paused to take a breath and give Malik and Ridwan a smile.

"So what was the book about?" Asked Sam leaning forward despite himself.

"How to mate with another angel. And how to evoke the strongest bond two angels could share —a soul-bond. I shared it with other Angel couples after Azazel and I had mastered the book."

Dean snorted from the kitchen doorway.

"So it was like an angelic Kama sutra?"

Raphael glared at him lightning flashed around him, keeping well away from Sam. 

"How dare you compare soul-bonds to that mudmonkey drivel!" 

Yahweh took that moment to appear in the bunker everyone in tow.

Raphael sensing his father's presence immediately turned and bowed to him.

"I'm glad you're safe father."

Yahweh nodded. 

"Go find Michael and Samael I have a job for them."

Raphael nodded and flew away.

Sam got up and got his gun out aiming at Aldonai.

"What's he doing here? I'm sorry but I'm not about to trust him after what he did to Adam."

Yahweh turned to look at Aldonai his eyebrow raised.

"What did you do to Adam?"

"It was Vaatu's idea. He made me."

Vaatu snapped his fingers and Adam appeared. He smiled at Sam and Dean. 

"Hey what's up?"

Dean eyed him warily while Sam put his gun away and gave him a hug. 

"You okay?"

Sam whispered.

Adam nodded. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Turns out this ascension thing is not so bad. They give you super strength and faster reflexes. It doesn't even hurt."

"What do they want in return." Asked Dean inching closer to Adam, inspecting him.

"Nothing. They do it to all for those who are deemed worthy. Think of it like an upgrade. The next stage in human evolution."

"No. Stop! No one is Ascending!" Yelled Yahweh.

He spun and slammed Vaatu into the wall, everyone held their breath, Vaatu didn't even blink, he knew Yahweh wouldn't trust him that easily.

"Change. Him. Back." Spat Yahweh through gritted teeth.

Vaatu sighed and shook his head.

"You know I can't do that, if Raava finds out she'll attack. We lose precious time. I need to know how well we're defended."

"Do it, change him back father." Said Karina from the staircase above them. 

Yahweh let him go as Vaatu pushed past him to look up at Karina. 

"If you're really on our side, you'll do as we ask. Change him back."

Vaatu held Karina's gaze for a few moments longer. Finally he sighed and fished the switch from his robes. His finger lingered over it. He looked back up at his daughter and then he turned to look at everyone around him. He had the room, he had their attention — he intended to use it.

"When I press this it will send a signal to Raava. It will alert her that Adam was compromised and returned to his unaltered state. She'll know that something is wrong and when I'm not there she'll put it together and attack."

Vaatu paused this time it was Nero that spoke up from the hallway. He held Draven's hand tightly as if it was a lifeline.

"We know all this, what's your point?"

Vaatu held his son's anger and matched it with his own cold glare back.

"I mean that the next time we see your mother it will be war, and she won't be merciful. I need to know you understand that."

Zia materialized into the room then, leaning on the table facing her father. Cyrus at her side, he seemed more in control of himself. He seemed more confident. Vaatu could feel the quiet hum of power within him. Soren materialized a few feet away, his arms held the books from Vaatu's personal library. He seemed more self assured as well. Judging by how he was cradling the books Vaatu surmised him to be Cyrsus's Protector or in laymen's terms companion. By the looks of it he and Soren had been training long and hard.

Vaatu turned from studying Soren to looking at Zia. She crossed her arms and held his gaze.

"You mean you want us to understand there's no turing back, we know — we knew from the very beginning. But there is something you need to understand father, we're ready. I'm ready for whatever mother throws at us. Win or lose we're going down fighting."

Vaatu couldn't help but smile, even though he knew he was effectively signing all their deaths. He inwardly shrugged he and Raava could have more children. But he would miss them, his first three, his what if legacy. They would go down of that he was sure, he just hoped it was in a blaze of glory.

Vaatu pressed the switch and Raava's device went off. She glanced down at it and suppressed a smile. Their plan was a go.


	45. Chapter 45

Yahweh went to heaven for the first time in over a millennia and rallied his angels for what they were built for — war.

Vaatu, and the exalted including the children huddled together going over all the ways Raava would attack them, and what types of soldiers she would use. 

Sam, Dean and Adam went to the local bar to get any last minute drinks. They've done this before, they would get through it. They had to, humanity was counting on them. 

Castiel had pulled Durmiel aside from the fray. He needed to talk to him. In case this whole thing fell through. Castiel had faith in father, it was just the people father placed his trust in that made Castiel wary. 

Apparently he wasn't alone, Lucifer was reportedly furious about Vaatu. Castiel heard that he was even threatening to rebel again. Castiel shook his head, he didn't think he would go through with it, Lucifer wanted to be with his brothers more than anything. 

Castiel's wings twitched he hoped Dhuma would come. He stood out at the edge of the world and looked out at the expanse where the turbulent sea met the graceful northern lights.

He heard wings rustle behind him, he hid a smile. How had he forgotten what Durmiel's grace felt like?

"Castiel? Brother you called me. Are you alright? Is this about the impending war, you know father will keep them safe."

Castiel turned to him then, his brow furrowed. He couldn't think clearly. Durmiel's grace felt like a tantalizing piece of pb&j but locked behind bars. The bars came closer, the eyes borrowing into Castiel's head. Durmiel's hand came and gently tipped his head up.

Castiel resisted the urge to close his eyes. He had felt electricity, had felt shocked before. Raphael wasn't kind when it came to discipline. But this wasn't that, this felt like he was flying only better - soaring. It felt like he was happy — only deliriously so. Castiel couldn't take it anymore.

"I remember Dhuma." He whispered. 

Durmiel chuckled. "Oh? What do you remember?"

He took a step closer. Letting his hand move from Castiel's chin to his cheek.

Castiel stared at him, his grace singing. It was so hard to concentrate, how did he do it? How did Dhuma stay in control?

"How— how can you be so controlled?" Breathed Castiel as Durmiel moved his hand down slowly to trace the vessel's neck.

Castiel closed his eyes, there was no use in denying himself. 

"I had to." Durmiel finally spoke. "I didn't have a choice if I wanted to see you again, especially when you didn't remember me... How much do you remember Thursday?"

Durmiel feared he would have to keep up Raphael's rouse if Castiel didn't know. It made him appear in a bad light true, but he would keep quiet if only to make sure Raphael never touched Castiel again.

"I know about Egypt, how we both went and tried to save as many children as possible from being slaughtered. How you told me to run when they found out. And how it was Raphael who suggested Michael hurt me instead of you."

Durmiel nodded, as he watched his hand go down lower. He mentally snapped each of Castiel shirt buttons as his hand reached each one. He couldn't help revel in how easy he was making Castiel react, his tolerance used to be so high — but it would come back with thorough and frequent practice. Durmiel grinned at the thought.

"Yes, Raphael used you as a proxy to hurt me. After Azazel I think he didn't want any other angel to be happy — to see a reminder of what he had lost."

Castiel shuddered as Durmiel's hand touched his chest. He couldn't wait anymore. 

"Take me Dhuma. Make me dream."

Durmiel grinned at Castiel's face, his eyes closed. His whole body tense, on edge. He didn't have to be told twice, pulling him close he finally let himself indulge in what he had craved for over two millennia.

Away from heaven, and hell two angels sat next to a campfire. They huddled together not for cold, for angels don't feel cold. No, they huddled together for the sheer need of touch.

The one with white and gold wings spoke first.

"The world is ending."

The one with silver and black on his wings smiled and answered.

"Yes Rid it appears to be."

"It is wrong that I'm not sorry? That I don't see the reason to help?"

"No beautiful, it's not. If we help and he wins we'll be pulled apart — no matter others assurances we know what he's really like."

Ridwan nodded, absentmindedly running his hand through silver feathers.

"Yes, no matter how he wants his children to see him as, or how much he says he loved humanity, we know. We know and no one will ever believe us. That seems to be our curse."

"Yes, but if we don't help? If we let this world get destroyed? Maybe then, maybe we'll be together."

"It doesn't work that way, but I can offer you absolution now. So that you may spend what time you have here together."

Ridwan and Malik got up and turned to see Yahweh staring at them. They glared at him.

"We didn't do anything wrong." Said Ridwan.

"Yes, so take off the mask and show us your true self Father." Added Malik, his hand itching to draw his blade knowing full well it wouldn't do a damn thing.

"Did you both ever consider that I was sorry for what I did? That I didn't want to hurt you."

"Then why keep us apart?"

"Because I couldn't think of a better way to do it, to keep a semblance of balance. If I kept you both together there would be no reason for Amaro to be imprisoned—"

"You mean there would be no reason you would need to leave heaven. Don't try to play us. We know you, you wanted an escape even then. You wanted to be free to do what you wanted, not tied to people or a place. Why stay in one place when you can create anything right?" Ridwan bristled.

Yahweh sighed.

"Alright fine. Yes, the Angels, the humans, the beasts, everything and everyone are a nausense. They're demanding, ungrateful, and prideful and that's just humanity. Never mind how needy the Angels are. I didn't want to be... I wanted to be home with him. And I know how that sounds to you both, how it looks. But I needed to see another couple in pain. I needed to know if what I was feeling, still feel was normal. You've both proved it to be, proved just how profound a bond can be. I'm sorry I let it get this far, but I have him now. I have him back, and so I give it back to you. I give you your freedom. And just in case you both still don't believe me, here is a gift for you both - a token of my remorse."

Opening his hand he presented two rings. Ridwan and Malik stared from him to each other and then back at him. Hands joined they slowly made their way to see them. They were beautiful, iridescent, and markedly different. The stones and etchings were different, but they somehow fit together.

"I made them specifically for you, they each have an element of heaven and purgatory so you'll have always have a piece of each other if you were to be away from each other."

Ridwan's hand reached to one of the rings. Malik wasn't satisfied, he wanted more, He needed to know more.

"Why are you really doing this?"

Yahweh sighed. Ridwan's hand came back to his side. He squeezed Malik's hand.

"You didn't actually think a speech and jewelry were going to make an impact on us did you?"

Asked Ridwan quietly. His eyes focused on their joined hands. He gently thumbed Malik's knuckles knowing full well Yahweh would hate it. Sure enough Yahweh sighed exasperated.

"Fine, you win. I need you both if I want to have even a chance of winning. Will you help me?"

They both looked at him, and took the rings. 

"Yes we will, if only for our brothers and sisters." Said Malik his grip tightening on Ridwan's.

Yahweh nodded and flashed away, he knew not to except too much.

Sebastian paced on the sky deck. The Sentinels and his Retrieves were restless. Raava had assumed emergency power a little over 72hrs ago Earth time, and he was staring to chafe under her scrutiny. Vaatu would not have left if he didn't have a plan. 

Without telling him. Sebastian silently added to himself — at least he hoped he would have.

Raava would not hold absolute power for long. Surely whatever Vaatu was planning would come to fruition soon. But if it didn't Sebastian had made up his mind. He would join Vaatu, whatever side he chose. Looking from the window to the Sentinels he saw that they had come to the same understanding as he. They were loyal to their lord after all, and his Retrievers were loyal to their alpha. 

Looking back out at Yahweh's world Sebastian was momentarily satisfied that whatever Vaatu chose to do he had an army ready and waiting for him. Sebastian just prayed he knew what he was doing.


	46. Chapter 46

Yahweh stood in the clearing, his angels ready and waiting for his signal. He smiled to himself as he felt Lucifer come and land down with the whole of hell by his side. 

Brahman had rallied the pagans Hindus and all, they stood uneasily eyeing the Angels, but didn't attack. They were all here for a common reason — destroying The Council.

Sam, Dean, and Adam stood at his side guns ready and loaded. They also carried an assortment of holy water and machetes. 

Ridwan circled above them, ready to block any air assaults. Malik stood below his blade in hand.

Namaah sat atop a tree as lookout, her reapers amassed and ready.

Lastly Vaatu stood next to Yahweh the children at his side, he gave him a tense smile. Yahweh smiled back and squeezed his hand. Turning to the empty clearing Yahweh squared his shoulders, he was ready. He wasn't going to let them take his world, his children away from him.

Vaatu forced himself to hid his smirk, they were all going to die, and he and Raava would finally rule unopposed. It hurt him immensely that Yahweh was going to be terminated like this, but it was a small price to pay for order, for keeping his word. Vaatu was serious when he had told Elohim about his oath. He had made an oath to protect his world and its people, and he wasn't going to let anything love or otherwise compromise that promise. 

Zia glanced at her father and narrowed her eyes. Something was off, he would never change his allegiances this quickly, it wasn't like him. But that wasn't what really bugged her, it was what Yahweh had told her before he had been captured — she was not meant to be the lady of light. What did he mean? 

It was true working with Cyrus had made her feel different, more controlled and balanced then ever before. She felt like she could see the future stretch out in front of her, to her it was a blank canvas ready and waiting for her to write her desires on it. She decided to channel that feeling. She turned and smirked — mother was going down. 

Lucifer gripped his blade, he appeared outwardly determined and confident, but inwardly he was unraveling. If they failed today, forget this world Avalon would fall — his children would die. She would have ran away for nothing. Diana deserved more then that, she deserved stability, peace...love — she deserved above all else a home not a refuge. He would fight for her, for them, to give them what he never got — paradise. 

Nero stood a little ways off from everyone, he needed time to think, to create a strategy. He ran down the list of things he knew as fact — He didn't trust his father, Vaatu was playing them he had to be. Nero had spent years listening to him rattle on about the importance of order till it was background noise, it was what led him to see that his father was manipulating the system in the first place. 

Next, the only people he could wholeheartedly put his trust in were Kiana, Zia, Draven, Cyrus, and Soren. They had worked with each other till they all acted as one, equally in control be able to change roles on a split-second notice. He didn't know where the Sentinels and the Retrievers stood, but chances were they would stand with Vaatu no matter what. He would have to show them that standing with him was wrong. But how?

Nero looked up and then paled, now it didn't matter, mother was here and she was armed. 

Raava stood on the sky deck smiling to herself. Vaatu may be arrogant and harsh, but he was brilliant. Using Yahweh's greatest desire against him to gain his trust and destroying him from within. It was nothing short of beautiful. 

Though she couldn't help the tendril of guilt that wormed its way through her at the thought of her children. They were so young, had so much potential, if it weren't for the threat they posed she wouldn't terminate them but sacrifices were in order if she wanted to maintain her order.

Sebastian could feel the tension as they all got closer to the meeting area, his muscles tensed and he felt as if he was on a spring. He prayed for the tenth time that Vaatu knew what he was doing, because by the looks of things Raava would run them into the ground if it was up to her.


	47. Chapter 47

As Raava landed, her army fanned out around her. Vaatu noted with satisfaction that Sebastian was there and unharmed. Vaatu was glad he was loyal, Sebastian would be heavily rewarded for it when they won.

Yahweh made a move to step forward, his mouth open, his eyes stayed focused on Raava. Which made it easy for Vaatu to swiftly take his dagger and rest it on his throat. 

Everyone held their breath, as Raava kept her face carefully neutral.

Yahweh didn't move. "What are you doing Vaatu?" He hissed.

"Why I'm betraying you again! Couldn't you tell?" He said sarcastically cheerful.

He slashed the dagger straight across. Blood welled up but Yahweh quickly healed himself and staggered back, clutching his throat, he looked shell shocked at Vaatu.

Vaatu felt himself tense, he was going off script now, but he had to. He needed closure, they both did. He didn't spare Raava a glance this was his one chance.

He took a couple steps and pulled Yahweh to him, and kissed him. Vaatu almost cried with how perfect this was, how addictive. He forced himself to focus.

"Yahweh, I have to keep my promise but you don't. Win, end our tyranny. Show my children the right way to rule."

Yahweh opened his mind letting him in one last time. 

"He would have been proud Vaatu. Truly, you are better ruler than your father ever could have hoped for. A ruler needs to know when their time is, when to advance for the good of the people." 

The memories came rushing back to them, hatching the plan to take Cyrus, Soren and run. Smuggling them out of Azarath. 

Vaatu's final goodbye: 

"I love you Yahweh. No matter what happens, no matter what I do when we next meet, I will always love you. Now go and save us all."

Yahweh pulling him closer, gripping his hands, staring earnestly into his eyes,

"I will always love you. Make me proud Vaatu. Just promise me you'll remember, you're better leader, better father, an amazing friend and lover than he ever was."

Yahweh pushed away from him. Crashing them both into the present. The sound of the Angels wrath, of the humans rage rushed in from all around them at full force.

Vaatu staggered backward, just missing Dean's bullet.

"Vaatu watch out!" Raava's yell made him turn in time to see Nero's blade rushing toward him. Vaatu didn't move, if this was how he could change his world, save his children, then so be it.

"Disobey! Disobey!" 

Screamed Yahweh in his mind, and for once, for once Vaatu listened. He closed his eyes, reaching out to Sebastian who was running toward him.

"Bash, stop. Follow my son. I give him the title. I give him all the power that comes with that."

The retriever's footsteps ceased. Vaatu felt the sharp acrid pain of the blade, then crushing numbness. He thought he heard someone call his name. But it didn't matter, not anymore. Not when he opened his eyes to see him staring at him.

"My son, what have you done? You have disobeyed me. You have unraveled all I worked for!" 

Vaatu shook his head, he was deliriously happy to see him. He had missed his father so much, had been so lost without him.

"No Papa, I saved them. Our power shouldn't be concentrated, it should be distributed, all of our people should be treated as gods. After all, the ancients made them too, did they not? They were just dimmer. Light is light, even if it is weak. Even the weakest ray is able to show us a piece of our path ahead, is it not?"

Vaatu closed his eyes, he was so tired, so hurt, suddenly he felt strong arms around him, he curled into them. 

The figure sighed and smiled down at the man he held in his arms. Vaatu was stupid throwing his position away for a foolish idea. He held Vaatu tighter, willing away his nightmares. How he pitied his son, his beautiful son, engaging in such travesty, letting such a mangy Exalted steal his heart away. But the figure reminded himself, Vaatu was safe, was free of that trash's influence. He was Home.

Nero fell to the ground, at first screaming for his father to forgive him, screamed for his father wake up, how sorry he was. Then he was screaming, an unceasing wail. He felt as if he was on fire. Draven looked on in horror, held back by Elohim. Raava stood frozen, her eyes going between her consort crumpled body on the ground to her screaming offspring. She gathered herself, and made a move toward Nero. When Sebastian and the Retrievers stopped her.

Sebastian dipped his head, his eyes shinned. 

Raava glared at him,

"What is the meaning of this? Get out of my way, I want to see my son."

Sebastian gave her a inconspicuous smirk,

"I'm sorry My Lady, but something tells me that the new Lord of Shadow will not be taking any visitors."

"Especially from the likes of you." 

Sebastian added silently, not that Raava would hear him, or was even listening.

"Lord of Shadow? What? But how?"

She stopped coming to the same conclusion as Yahweh said it in a whisper.

"Vaatu. He transferred his power to him."

Yahweh turned from Vaatu's body to looking at Nero in awe.

Nero finally stopped screaming, he curled in on himself. Hating how he felt so weak, so scared. How he wished for his father's steady presence, his words.

"I am here Nero. I am always here. I have asked to stay in this plane till you get officially coronated. Make me proud my son. I love you I always have. My only request is don't let that family take over. Don't give Elohim or Draven anymore power. I don't trust them, they'll use you, use your sisters. You don't want that do you?"

Nero closed his eyes as he felt his father's presence wrap itself around him like the foul stench of disease, it infiltrated his lungs till he was suffocating, invaded his brain till his thoughts started to mirror his father's. He didn't want that, he didn't want to be controlled by the dead.

So he forced himself to open his eyes, ignoring the blinding light of day, he spoke he knew one word and he would be disobeying, he would tarnishing his father's last wish. Could he do it? Could he live with himself knowing he sullied his father's last request?

"Draven?" Nero whispered. He could feel his father's rage. But then it didn't matter, Draven was there, touching his face, pulling him close. Whispering over and over how proud he was, how happy he was, how much he loved him.

"Don't. Let. Him. In." 

Vaatu hissed in his brain, using his voice, his thoughts against him. Nero wasn't going to let him take away his ray of light, he wasn't going to let himself be guided into his father's twisted, isolating world.

Nero looked up at Draven. Gathering his strength he pulled Draven toward him. He kissed him, pouring every ounce of love he had into it, bringing memory after memory of them together. Finally he could feel his father's presence leave him, before weariness finally overtook him he swore his heard father whisper in his ear.

He swore he heard him say: 

"Well done my son. Well done. You've proven me wrong, now do it again, show them all the power of unequivocal love."

Nero sagged against Draven. Draven picked him gently and shot Raava or any of the other beings, human an otherwise a glare as if daring them to hurt Nero. To attack him now. No one moved, no one breathed. Slowly a man with silver wings approached him. He gently took his hand and flew them all away, to a beautiful paradise.

The man turned away to go.

Draven set Nero down gently on the grass and kept his back to the winged stranger.

"Thank you. Thank you for saving us... For saving him."

The man didn't turn, his voice was harsh and weary, as if he had learned long ago to never trust anyone, though it apparently didn't stop him from helping them, Draven admired that.

"Just promise me that you'll show Father that love conquers all, that loving someone more than order, more than the greater good is right."

Draven turned to see the man looking at him. He nodded, the man flashed him a grin and his silver wings extended and he flew away.

Raava or Yahweh hadn't moved as Malik came back, gently brushing his wings with Ridwan's as he passed him.

Kiana broke the tension. Sauntering up to Raava she stood in her face. The sentinels and retrievers having moved to the side. The acolytes hadn't moved, they waited for Raava to give them an order.

"Give me my title, and this whole thing can be over."

Raava glared at her and waved her hand Kiana went spinning to the ground, and Raava was on top of her, her own dagger point held above her heart. 

Kiana lost all her bluster.

"Mama? Please don't, please don't hurt me."

Raava gave a short laugh, she would maintain the order, she would keep her world from falling apart with or without Vaatu.

"Hurt you? No my darling, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm going to kill you."

Raava raised the dagger high, as it came down she was pulled away. Zia held her against a tree. She looked wild, her eyes holding uncontrolled power.

Raava struggled to no avail. Cyrus ran and pulled Kiana up, speaking to her quickly in a whisper.

Zia payed them no mind, she paced in front of her mother.

"You know up until now I didn't know what Yahweh had meant when he said I didn't need to be the Lady of Light, that I had power that far surpassed both of you. But seeing you hurt her, I felt it, I felt this rise of heat, this raw rage. And instead of shrinking away, instead of running into the blissful numbness that was at its edges I let myself finally succumb to it. I let myself embrace the fire — you know what I learned? I learned that I can control it, that the reason you terminated those children, my elder brothers was because you didn't want to tempt fate, you knew if you had more than one son that the second one would have power, he would have no role as Lord of Shadow but he would still have power, he still could have done something. You killed them to keep your power safe. You're a monster mother, and as these humans would say, monsters deserve to die."

Zia closed her eyes and let her energy find her mother's power. She latched onto to that, and pulled it away bit by bit from her. Raava screamed, but it was all a dull roar in her mind. Separating the power from her mother. After that she slowly focused on Kiana.

She heard herself saying,

"Open yourself up to me Kiana. I'm going to give what is rightfully yours." Kiana gasped as the power slowly crept inside her, she fell to the ground as wave after wave of power coursed through her.

Soren came to kneel before gently taking her hand, giving her an anchor to hold onto.

Finally Kiana had it all, she gasped and wrenched her hand away from Soren. Hating how she had been so vulnerable, so open with someone she didn't even know.

Zia opened her eyes and swayed. And as the ground rushed to meet her she felt someone catch. Strong arms coming around her, and a soft voice whispering,

"Well done Snow. I'll take it from here. I love you." Zia smiled as the sound of twinkling chimes filled her mind and she drifted off to sleep. 

Cyrus gingerly set her down on the ground as an angel with gold wings gently lifted her and took her somewhere safe.

Cyrus turned from watching the angel to look at Yahweh, Raava and Kiana in turn. 

Cyrus drew in a breath and faced Kiana first,

"There will be a lord and lady of Shadow and Light. But I will be included in all your decisions. If you reject my terms I will take over and overthrow you both. Are we in agreement?"

Kiana hid her smile, she knew this was all for show. She rolled her eyes and nodded, playing her part perfectly.

Cyrus nodded. Giving her a quick smile.

"Now about Yahweh. If you are in agreement, I would elect he keep possession of his world, provided he plays an active role. Anything else?"

Kiana was about to shake his head, when Draven raced toward them both. He quickly spoke in Cyrus ear, Yahweh looked on in amusement. 

As Draven pulled away Cyrus caught his eye and nodded. He understood the power of love, he would make sure Yahweh did as well. 

"Yahweh I have one more condition, you will let Ridwan and Malik stay together. You will let your angels fall in love with whoever they please. You will not try to control who they love. Is that understood?"

Yahweh rolled his eyes and nodded, as Ridwan and Malik beamed in joy.

Cyrus finally turned to Raava. She was alive, she slowly lifted her head and glared at him. Her Acolytes clustered around her, dithering nervously.

"Raava, I here by order you to transfer your title and Acolytes to Kiana. If you do not comply, then I Kiana will be forced to terminate them and acquire new ones."

Cyrus purposefully put her Acolytes on the line instead of her life. It was nothing someone like Raava would hate more than change. 

Raava glared and curled her hands round the grass, turning them to ash.

Asherah rolled her eyes,

"Your being over dramatic Raava. Surrender, if you care about order you'll let your Acolytes keep their jobs." 

Raava turned and glared at her.

"After everything I did for you? After all we've been through. You were like a sister me, it was because of me you even know Yahweh."

"You only did that, so he would stay away form Vaatu."

"Can you blame me Asherah? Can you blame me for trying to save my marriage?!"

Asked Raava forcing herself to right herself enough to sit against the tree trunk, her back straight. Her appearance every bit as regal as if she had just come off the ship.

"Yes I can. I can blame you, because you gave me something I didn't want. You gave me love Raava, heartbreak. I love him, and because of you I can never imagine a time without him. You gave me the worst thing, you both did, you showed me a monster Raava, and you Yahweh you showed me love, and imprisoned me with it. So Raava unless you want me to destroy every last one of your precious Acolytes I suggest you do as Cyrus asks, or I'll divulge every dirty little secret you have."

Raava eyes widened, both of them flicked their eyes to Elohim. Asherah held Raava's gaze giving her no inclination she was bluffing. She would destroy the whole of their society for a foolish idea, a wishful dream of egalitarianism.

Finally Raava sighed, 

"I acquiesce to Cyrus's demands. I name Kiana the new Lady of Light, I give her all the power that comes with that title."

Kiana beamed, she had finally won. Raava shuddered as the last of her strength slowly left her. Kiana frowned as Raava suddenly appeared weaker. She quickly ran toward her.

Raava caught Yahweh's eye. Her eyes filled with power once more, only now it was an echo of what it once was.

"I will be waiting for you Yahweh at Home. I will be ready for you, I will destroy you."

Yahweh chuckled and held her gaze.

"Go ahead and wait Raava. You didn't win in life you sure as hell are not going to win in death. I will always be better than you, I will always be more loved by him than you. I look forward to the reception, make it good Raava. I expect nothing less than the outmost pomp and fanfare." 

Raava's eyelids became heavy as they began to close she forced her eyes to move from Yahweh to Kiana. She didn't want her last image of life to be of him.

She clasped Kiana's hands, pulling her close.

"Good luck Kia. I love you. Make sure Yahweh is punished for all he's done, remember what he did to Amaro if you're having trouble igniting that fire."

Kiana paled even when she was dying all Mama thought of was revenge. She didn't want anger, fear, or pride dictate her actions. She vowed to be a better ruler than Raava. As The heat from Raava's hands crept away Cyrus walked toward Yahweh his hand outstretched.

He knew there was a lot of things that still needed to be taken care of, Amaro, Aldnonai, Brahman. But as Yahweh smiled at him and clasped his hand, he knew he had won the hardest battle — taking the power. Now that he had that, and with Yahweh at his side he was unstoppable. Cyrus would remake Azarath. He would make it a place The Ancients would be proud of — who knows they might even come back.


End file.
